Onaiyekan says Nigerians waiting for court to deliver justice in presidential election petitions
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
All eyes are now on the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) to finish the job the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did “halfway” in the election on February 25, John Cardinal Onaiyekan has said.
The emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja made the point after a special mass to mark the 2023 World Communication Week of the Catholic Church at St. Gabriel’s Chaplaincy in Abuja.
He counselled the judiciary to allow live broadcast of the court hearing, even though it has not been done so before, because Nigerian are eagerly waiting to see how the court will deliver justice in the petitions.
The PEPC on Monday rejected the request for live broadcast of its proceedings.
“All eyes are on the court. We tried our best to vote; we were told to go to court. We are now in court. All eyes are on the court. We have trust in the court that they finish the job that INEC did halfway,” Onaiyekan said.
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Need for transparency in judicial process
Onaiyekan emphasised the importance of transparency in the judicial process and argued that if witnesses have anything to say that people should not know, they should not say it, according to reporting by Vanguard.
“It is in the interest of the judiciary to allow the people to see what is happening, even if it means adjusting their rules.
“Voters don’t have the locus standi in court to challenge election outcomes. The matter is left to the candidates. That’s why it’s important that the court proceedings are seen live on TV.”
In his view, communication is essential for resolving conflicts and building relationships, and “social media has come into the picture. You cannot ignore it anymore.
“Communication is meant to build and not to destroy; to unite and not divide; to entertain and not to sadden. This is what we are praying for today.”
Rev. Fr. Michael Umoh, the National Director of Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, echoed Onaiyekan’s views, describing Jesus Christ as the grand communicator of God to humanity.
Umoh said because the Church is an extension of the mission of Jesus Christ, “every Christian must strive to develop the skill of being an effective communicator after the model of Jesus, the perfect communicator.”