Lagos appeal court judge replaces Bulkachuwa on presidential tribunal

Mohammed Garba has replaced Zainab Bulkachuwa on the presidential election petition tribunal panel.

Garba, who is the presiding justice of the Lagos division of the court of appeal, made an appearance on the five-man panel for the first time on Monday.

In his welcome address, Garba called for the cooperation of all the parties involved.

He promised to do everything to expeditiously hear the petitions in line with the laid down laws.

Bulkachuwa had withdrawn from the panel in May following an allegation of pre-conceived bias levelled against her by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“I have allowed the ruling on the application urging me to recuse my membership of the tribunal to test the position of the law,” she had said.

“Now that the application has been dismissed on account of incompetence, I hereby announce my withdrawal from the panel.

“The remaining four members of the panel would remain while step would be taken to appoint my replacement.’’

The major opposition party had said she would likely be biased while handling the tribunal’s proceedings since she is married to a senator-elect of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP and Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate in the February 23 election, are before the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the presidential election.