Presidential Election: We will deliver justice — Bulkachuwa assures Nigerians

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal led by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, on Wednesday assured Nigerians and the international community of its resolve to dispense justice in all the petitions challenging the outcome of the February 23 election.

Bulkachuwa, presiding over the five-man panel, gave this assurance at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal which held in a packed courtroom of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

She leads four other members of the panel drawn from various divisions of the Court of Appeal.

They are Justices Abdul Aboki (Abuja Division), Joseph Ikyegh (Benin Division), Samuel Oseji (Lagos Division) and Justice Peter Ige (Abuja Division).

Bulkachuwa pleaded for the support of stakeholders including litigants, lawyers , the press and members of the public to ensure the smooth running of the proceedings of the tribunal.

The President of the Court of Appeal who started delivering her speech shortly after leading the four other members of the panel into the courtroom at 10.05am, barred analysis of the tribunal’s proceedings in the media.

She assured that the Court of Appeal which sits as the PEPT would work in accordance and within the dictates of the constitution, the law and international best practices to ensure justice was done to all.

She said, “The independence of the judiciary is key to any vibrant democracy, especially in the resolution of election petitions.

“Therefore, an independent judiciary is a robust and an indispensable requisite of a free society under the rule of law.

“As we gather in this honourable courtroom today, I wish to use this opportunity to reassure Nigerians and friends of Nigeria , that the Court of Appeal will work in accordance and within the dictates of the constitution, the law and international best practices, to dispense justice to all, without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

“I would like to conclude with this quote by my lord, the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, CFR, that ‘Politics is not anarchy, it is not disorderliness, it must be punctuated by justice, fairness and orderliness.’”