Top Story in Nigeria
Tribunal Hints Live Broadcast “Will Be Considered With Other Issues”
The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, on Tuesday, hinted that it would take into account the Labour Party’s and the Peoples Democratic Party’s requests for a live broadcast of its proceedings.
The PDP and Atiku Abubakar, its standard bearer, filed a motion on notice asking for the live broadcast of the presidential tribunal proceeding, which got underway on Monday. The tribunal, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, asked the parties in the ongoing petitions to settle and decide on their objections.
Also Read: Senate Investigates Unauthorised Expenditure By NDDC
Tsammani gave the directive during Tuesday’s hearing when the matter was raised by counsel for the PDP and Atiku, Chris Uche, SAN.
Speaking at the resumed pre-hearing session, the head of the five-man panel assured that the application for a live broadcast of the proceedings “will be considered together with the other issues.”
In a May 5 appeal, the PDP and Atiku made the case that broadcasting the court proceedings would increase transparency and increase public trust in the legal system.
The Independent National Electoral Commission failed to electronically upload the poll results as of the moment the winner was declared, which is why the PDP and Atiku are contesting Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election.
The respondents in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, are the INEC, Tinubu and the APC.
The LP and Peter Obi, its candidate, further asserted that the former governor of Lagos State did not win at least 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory election.
The PDP and Atiku explicitly asked to the court for an order directing the court’s registry and the parties on the modalities for admission of media practitioners and their equipment into the courtroom in their application for a live telecast of the court proceedings.
Their team of solicitors, lead by Chris Uche, SAN, submitted the motion on the grounds that the issue before the court included the results of the presidential election held on February 25 and, as a result, was of national significance and the public’s interest.
“Televising court proceedings is not alien to this court, and will enhance public confidence,” the applicant said.
