Agbakoba to Tinubu: Probe Senator Bulkachuwa, NDIC

Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to probe Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa following his suggestion that he obtained favours from his wife on behalf of his fellow senators.

Bulkachuwa’s wife, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa (retd), is the immediate past President of the Court of Appeal.

The lawmaker, in a video clip which surfaced Tuesday, spoke during the valedictory session of the ninth senate.

Bulkachuwa claimed that he encroached on her “freedom and independence” in the course of her official duties as head of the second highest judicial office in Nigeria.

According to him, she did not rebuff him. He was quickly interrupted and dissuaded from continuing by outgone Senate President Ahmed Lawan.

Senator Bulkachuwa was elected to represent Bauchi North in 2019.

Bulkachuwa said: “Particularly my wife whose freedom and independence were encroached upon when she was in office. She has been tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended it to my colleagues.” Stopping him from continuing, Lawan, said he did not think it was appropriate for the senator to make such comment. “Distinguished Senator, I don’t think that is the right route to go,” Lawan said.

Condemning the incident in a post on his Twitter handle, Agbakoba described the senator’s statement as a “monumental disgrace” which needed to be probed.

He said: “Senator Bulkachuwa’s statement at the Valedictory of the 9th Senate is a monumental disgrace for our institutions. This man deserves to be taken up immediately by the authorities. “It is a blight on my confidence in our systems. I represented Usman Tuggar in relation to disputed elections between him and Senator Bulkachuwa for Bauchi North senatorial. We lost in three courts.”

He advised President Tinubu to cleanse the Judiciary.

Agbakoba said: “Senator Bulkachuwa seems to suggest why President Bola Tinubu @officialABAT must cleanse the system in a most dramatic and fundamental process if he wishes to succeed.”

Justice Bulkachuwa bowed out of the Bench in March 2020 after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years for justices of the Appeal Court.

The former PCA told The Nation and other journalists during a valedictory service in her honour in Lagos, that she kept her husband’s politics and political career out of her home.

She said that helped her to guard against being influenced by politicians.

The former PCA said: “My husband is a politician, but politics is a no-go area in the house. Even my children are aware of that. No politician is invited to the house. My husband can pursue whatever he wants to pursue as a politician but we hardly discuss politics in the house. All these help to guard against any influence from any politician.”

Agbakoba also referenced recent comments by the National Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Chairman AbdulHakeem Abdullateef as to why Tinubu ought to act fast.

Abdullateef alleged on June 12 that former President Muhammadu Buhari signed a doctored NDIC bill hours before leaving office.

He said the new law contains 35 sections that were hitherto not in the bill passed by the National Assembly.

Reacting to the claim, Agbakoba said: “The chairman of @NDICNigeria has also made dramatic revelations pointing to possible deep rot in our systems of Government responsible for financial and monetary policy.

“The president ought to act now!!!” Nation