Bulkachuwa Case Ressurects In Akwa Ibom As APC, PDP Fight Over Female Tribunal Chair

By Ifiok Itiaba, Uyo

The All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Akwa Ibom State were at the weekend locked in a war of words over the appointment of Justice Jennifer Ijohor as chairman of the National and State Houses of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal.

The APC claims that Justice Ijohor is married to the Secretary to the State Government in Benue State, Professor Anthony Ijohor, (SAN) and is expected to be partisan because he is working for a PDP administration. The APC claims that it is the same scenario as the case of Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa who was compelled to recuse herself as chairman of the Presidential Election Tribunal upon her husband’s and son’s active membership of the APC.

The PDP, however, faults the comparison saying that the SSG in question may not be a politician though working for a politician. The party also claims that Justice Ijohor did not appoint herself unlike the case of Bulkachuwa who appointed herself despite her husband having been elected as a senator on the platform of the APC.

The APC in a press conference addressed by the state chairman of the party, Mr. Ini Okopodi said:

“Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the APC has established that Hon. Justice Jennifer Mbalamen Ijohor, who is the Chairman of Panel two National and State House of Assembly Election Petition in Akwa Ibom State, has a strong family relationship with a PDP stalwart, and so, there is a clear conflict of interest in her work as the Chairman of the Tribunal. 

“Indeed, we can say categorically that the Hon. Justice cannot discharge her duties as objectively as we would expect.

“We know for a fact that the husband to Hon. Justice Jennifer Ijohor, Prof. Anthony Ijohor, SAN, is the Secretary to the Benue State Government under a PDP governor. Prof Ijohor is a strong PDP stalwart in Benue State.

” Before he was appointed SSG, Prof Ijohor was an Adviser to the PDP Government of Governor Ortom. He holds very strong and critical views about the APC. It is not farfetched if these sentiments are shared between husband and wife.

“You will recall that it was only last month that the President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa recused  herself from presiding over the Presidential Election Petition Panel for the reason that her husband is an APC member

“Since Hon. Justice Jennifer Ijohor’s husband is a PDP stalwart in their home state of Benue, and she has shown obvious bias against us, we are similarly calling on Justice Ijohor to resign from presiding over the Election Petition Tribunal in AKwa Ibom State”.

Okopido who alleged that the party has enough evidence to substantiate it’s call for her resignation called on her to

to the right thing by recuing herself from the tribunal.

Responding, the PDP speaking through its state’s publicity secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong described it as a new low for the APC in the state saying the party fabricated claims to push forth her argument.

“The APC cannot seek to rely on the Bulkachuwa scenario in making its ill-intentioned application because the two scenarios can be clearly distinguished. 

“My Lord the PCA, Bulkachuwa posted ‘herself’ to the panel conscious of the existing political relationship between one of the parties (the Respondent) and her family. In this case, the tribunal Chairman was posted by the PCA here, without any contribution or influence by the Judge.

“And recall that in the PCA’s case, personal relationships in addition to partisan ties between the parties were clearly brought to the fore. In the instant case, there is no proof of personal relationship between the parties before the tribunal and the chairman of the tribunal, except the inchoate allegation that her spouse is a member of the PDP.

“Even with that, there is no evidence to suggest that the husband of the chairman of the tribunal is a card carrying member of the PDP. That he was appointed SSG in Benue does not infer and cannot be construed to mean, that he is a member of the PDP. Membership of a political party is a process and documents exist in witness of same. “There is no legal requirement that stipulates membership of a political party as a basis for appointment, unlike the case of the PCA, whose husband’s election to the senate was sponsored by the respondent before him. The SSG could have been appointed on the basis of his expertise and nothing more.

“The reliance on the illusionary social media post by an imaginary son of the Judge is most laughable, as we are all aware that in this age and time, mere name similarity is not a conclusive proof of biological relationship. There are suspicions that the APC is behind that post, in their usual scenario creation tactics.

“Finally, we want to advice the APC to be more circumspect in their rants and shouts, as it is becoming very glaring that the fear of the unfolding reality of the judicial confirmation of their woeful electoral loss , is getting to them and they are terribly mortified.”

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