Centre for Social and Economic Rights Frowns at Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa Attempt To Frustrate The Wheel of Justice

The Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) as a societal watchdog frowns at and condemns in strong terms the latest attempt of former Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa justice delaying tactic of running to seek an order of court to restrain the ICPC from inviting and investigating him for his corruption laden, bringing the image of the legislature and judiciary to disrepute, threat to national security and democracy confession at the valedictory session of the 9th Senate on the 10th of June 2023.

The open and shameful confession of the former senator representing Bauchi North Senatorial district in the 9th session of the Senate between 2019 -2023, whereby he stated in the public glare of the Senate chambers that, “My wife, whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while (she) was in office, and she has been very tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended her help to my colleagues”, though he was stopped in his tracks by the then Senate President from further exposure, his confession has not only desecrated the hallowed chambers of the legislature, but also brought our judiciary and democracy to public disrepute which can only be remedied by an independent and impartial investigation by the anti-corruption agencies under whose jurisdiction his confessed crime falls.

Though we recognize and concede that his wife Rtd. Justice Mrs. Zainab Bulkachuwa who was the President of the Court of Appeal between 2014 and 2020 has come out openly to deny the allegations, as democrats who are advocates and defenders of public integrity and trust, we are of the strong opinion that only an independent investigation of the confession of this treasonable crime by the anti-corruption agencies, can thoroughly exonerate her, her office and restore the image of the judiciary and our democracy that has been impugned by the confession.

We are also not unaware of the recant of ex-Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa in saying that his comment was taken out of context because the then senate President did not allow him to complete his thoughts. Again, we concede this back and forth from the ex-Senator, but insist that only an independent investigation can exonerate him and his wife and restore the battered image of the legislature, judiciary and our democracy.

The antecedents of senator Adamu Bulkachuwa makes it imperative for us all to insist on his investigation over this matter which is crucial to unearthing the truth and restoring the image of our institutions and democracy.

We painfully recollect that in the run-up to the 2019 general elections, in the All Progressive Congress (APC) conducted Bauchi North senatorial primaries and witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Usman Tuggar polled 71, 508 to defeat senator Bulkachuwa who came second by scoring 16, 680 votes and three other contestants to emerge as the authentic winner and senatorial candidate of the party, but shockingly, the chairman of the primaries committee Ahmed Mohammed announced the name of the runner up as the party senatorial candidate instead of the winner and this was sent to INEC for the election by the party national headquarters.

Senator Bulkachuwa confession of the “help” from his wife as the President of the Court of Appeal can be gleaned from the comments of Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) a former president of the NBA and counsel to Usman Tuggar the authentic winner of the APC Bauchi North senatorial district primary election and candidate, but who was cheated and replaced with senator Bulkachuwa for the 2019 election, who lamented thus in the aftermath of his confession that, “It is a blight on my confidence in our systems. I represented Usman Tuggar in relation to the disputed election between him and senator Bulkachuwa for Bauchi North Senatorial seat. We lost in 3 courts…” Now the chicken has come home to roost and we know better.

In the aftermath of his confession and following public indignation and outcry, the ICPC extended an invitation to the senator over his threat to democracy confession at the Senate valedictory session and senator Bulkachuwa through his counsel responded in the affirmative to the anti-graft agency invitation, but three days before the scheduled date, the Senator ran to a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to obtain an order of court barring the agency from inviting and investigating him. These about turns of senator Adamu Bulkachuwa is unbecoming and makes his invitation and investigation more pertinent than ever.   

All these about turns and many more speaks volume about the character of Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa whose words of mouth and conduct are suspicious and a threat to national security which deserves to be investigated and not allowed to escape justice by seeking to use the law to truncate his rendering account to the law.

We are hereby using this medium to call on the ICPC to meet senator Bulkachuwa in court to counter his prayers because according to our law, he does not have constitutional immunity from investigation by institutions saddled with that responsibility, not to talk of prosecution if he is found liable for violating the laws of the land.

We admonish the ICPC to remain focused and ensure that it is not distracted by this latest antic of former senator Adamu Bulkachuwa.

God bless the federal republic of Nigeria.

Thank you for your time.

Yours Sincerely,

Nelson Ekujumi,

Executive Director.