Nigeria, June 10 -- A new chairperson has been appointed to head the presidential election petition tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

The new head, Mohammed Garba, a Court of Appeal judge, takes over from the court's president, Zainab Bulkachuwa, who recused herself after the opposition party, PDP, said she was likely to be biased.

The Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, accused Mrs Bulkachuwa of having suspicious ties to the ruling APC.

Mrs Bulkachuwa's husband is an APC senator-elect, who was elected under controversial circumstances.

The judge was also criticised for her comment at the inauguration of the tribunal, where she was quoted as saying elections disputes were bound to happen re...