Nigerian Concord Newspaper
The ongoing appeal of the Benue State local government elections which began sitting yesterday may have been compromised as confirmed reports exposed a recent meeting between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume and the immediate past President of the Appeal Court, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa in Abuja on a possible manipulation of the appeal.
Recall that Justice Bulkachuwa was seriously indicted for helping political associates of her husband, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa to win their election cases at the Appeal Court illegally during the time she was Appeal Court President.
Also recall that the same Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa was reportedly bribed by Senator George Akume in 2019 to upturn the victories of Senators Gabriel Suswam, Oker Jev, Abba Moro and some PDP members at the House of Representatives. She didn’t succeed as a result of multiple public outcries.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Judicial Platform in a statement by its president, Barrister Anthony Okechukwu, SAN this afternoon stated that Senator George Akume has asked Retired Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to help him so that the three judges who are sitting on the appeal will rule in favour of him in the entire twenty local governments of Benue state.
According to Nigerian Judicial Platform, the nomination of the three judges, Justice D.E. Igyuse – Chairman, Justice M.T. Ugar, and Justice Ibrahim Mohammed was as a result of Justice Bulkachuwa’s influence. “She has a firm control over them and that was why they made it as members of the Appeal Panel so as to make it easy to manipulate the proceedings’ NJP said.
The group said its investigation showed that Senator George Akume met with Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa and her husband who was once Akume’s colleague at the Senate, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, before he traveled to Europe for the burial the late Pope last week.
According to investigation, the Bishop of the Markudi Catholic Diocese, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe was also drafted into the deal as a middle man who will be meeting the three judges as well as Zainab Bulkachuwa to avoid suspicion.
It was also gathered that most of the funds that will be released to bribe the three judges will be channeled through the duo of Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, husband to Retired Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.
“The job of the three judges is to uphold the victory of the Austin Agada-led faction in the nine local governments which the Tribunal had already decided in their favour.
“The Appeal Panel has also been mandated to upturn the victory of the Benjamin Omale-led faction in fourteen local governments which the Tribunal had ruled in their favour, and give them to the Austin Agada-led faction.
“This is judicial rape and rascality all in the name of a mere leadership tussle between the governor of the State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia and Senator George Akume” the group said.
The group however called on President Bola Tinubu, the National Judicial Council, NJC and the Attorney General.of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN to quickly stop the planned Judicial rascality which Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa is helping “the enemies” of Benue state to legalize.
The group also called on the President of the Appeal Court, Monica Dongnan-Mensem to also called the three judges to order or better reconstitute another panel that is incorruptible.