Amadi joins voices demanding live transmission on hearing public interest litigations
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, has joined voices demanding live broadcast of the proceedings of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) because the petitions are public interest litigations.
Others who have also called for live broadcast of the proceedings include Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate; former Foreign Minister Bolaji Akinyemi; and Femi Falana, SAN.
“The issues are not just about private rights of candidates and parties,” Amadi tweeted on Monday, the day the tribunal began its pre-hearing process, per Daily Post.
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (PDP), and others are challenging at the tribunal the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the presidential ballot on February 25.
Amadi insisted “presidential election petition is a public interest litigation. There ought to be a live transmission of its hearing because of the political nature of the case.
“The issues are not just about the private rights of candidates and parties. It is also about the public interest of voters.”
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Atiku pressures tribunal to allow live broadcast of proceedings
Both Atiku Abubakar and PDP have applied to the PEPT to allow live broadcast of the hearing of the petitions against the election of Tinubu.
A motion filed by Atiku’s legal team, led by Chris Uche, SAN, applied for “an order directing the Court’s Registry and the parties on modalities for admission of media practitioners and their equipment into the courtroom.”
Atiku said the petition is a matter of national concern and public interest.
He argued the case involves citizens and voters in the 36 states of the federation who participated in the presidential vote, adding the international community is also interested in the electoral process in Africa’s most populous nation the world’s second largest presidential democracy after the United States.
Importance of media coverage
The motion also contends that:
“With the huge and tremendous technological advances and developments in Nigeria and beyond, including the current trend by this court towards embracing electronic procedures, virtual hearing and electronic filing, a departure from the rules to allow a regulated televising of the proceedings in this matter is in consonance with the maxim that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.
“Televising court proceedings is not alien to this court, and will enhance public confidence.”
Atiku also urged the court to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Tinubu by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the decision to declare Tinubu winner of the election is “invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.”
But in reply, Tinubu, through his legal team led by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, questioned the legal competence of petitions seeking to invalidate his victory.