Tribunal brainstorms live broadcast request by Atiku, Obi
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Request for live broadcast of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) proceedings made by Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi will be considered, the tribunal Head, Justice Haruna Tsammani, has assured.
Tsammani, a no-nonsense Judge, has also promised the tribunal will not entertain legal technicalities to prevent the delivery of justice in the petitions before the court.
The five tribunal Judges are
- Haruna Tsammani (Court of Appeal Chief Registrar, Tribunal Head)
- Stephen Adah (Court of Appeal, Asaba Division)
- Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf (Court of Appeal, Asaba Division)
- Boloukuoromo Ugoh (Court of Appeal, Kano Division)
- Abba Mohammed (Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division)
Atiku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate; and Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP); asked the tribunal to allow cameras to the courtroom to ensure transparency in the hearing, broadcast live for Nigerians to make up their own minds.
Both petitioners are challenging the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Party (APC) as the winner of the presidential election held on February 25.
Tsammani asked the parties to settle and decide on their objections, including the motion on notice filed by the PDP and Atiku requesting live broadcast of the hearing.
The Judge gave the directive when the matter was raised by PDP and Atiku’s counsel, Chris Uche, SAN.
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Application will be considered with other issues
Tsammani gave an assurance the application for live transmission “will be considered together with the other issues.”
The PDP and Atiku, in an application dated May 5, argued that televising the hearing would enhance transparency and boost citizens’ confidence in the judicial process, according to reporting by The PUNCH.
The petitioners asked the tribunal for an order directing its registry and the parties on modalities for admission of media practitioners and their equipment into the courtroom.
The application was premised on the grounds that the matter before the court is a dispute over the result of the presidential election and therefore a matter of national concern and public interest.
The petitioners also contend that being a unique electoral dispute with a peculiar constitutional dimension, it is a matter of public interest where millions of Nigerians are stakeholders with a constitutional right to watch the proceedings
“An integral part of the constitutional duty of the court to hold proceedings in public is at discretion to allow public access to proceedings either physically or by electronic means,” the petitioners argued.
“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.”
Uche stressed the urgency of the application, saying it requires immediate attention given the national importance of the issue.
“We urge your lordship to set it down for hearing and adoption as soon as the court’s business may allow,” he added.
INEC counsel Abubakar Mahmoud acknowledged the application for live broadcast; he described it as “innocuous” and requested for time to respond, “being served yesterday.”
Tinubu’s counsel Akin Olujimi, SAN said they would reply to the request for live media coverage at the appropriate time.
APC counsel Lateef Fagbemi, SAN acknowledged they received the request and “we are taking steps to respond appropriately to the application.”
