Presidential tribunal: Anxiety as APC, PDP, LP awaits court ruling on live telecast, Monday, May 22
- The presidential election petition tribunal (PEPT) will, on Monday, May 22, give its ruling on the application seeking the live telecast of proceedings in court
- The application was filed separately by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC)
- Meanwhile, Nigerians have gone on a rampage on social media, urging the court to do the right thing and allow the entire court process transparency
The much-talked-about application for the live telecast of the presidential election petition tribunal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party will get a ruling today, Monday, May 22.
However, there is a call against the application by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), which is seeking the court's dismissal of the application.
Source: Original
In a counter-argument against APC’s position, the PDP and the Labour Party stated that the essence of adopting the live telecast for the proceedings at the tribunal is to erase doubts from the minds of Nigerians who are already losing faith in the judiciary.
On Friday, May 5, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the PDP applied the live telecast of proceedings.
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The Labour Party much later filed a similar suit praying to the court to allow the love coverage of proceedings inside the courtroom to give electorates and Nigerians firsthand information about the ongoing tribunal.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), president-elect Bola Tinubu, and APC filed a counter-suit against the PDP and the Labour Party.
The trio prayed to the court to dismiss their application with the counsel of the APC, Lateef Fagbemi telling the court not to turn the court into “a Big Brother electoral series.”
Similarly, the counsel to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, said:
“The court is a public place and is accessible to all, subject to the availability of space.”
On the part of the counsel to the president-elect, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), noted that approval of the live telecast of proceedings would expose the jurors and the lawyers in danger.
Following the presentation of the argument by all concerned parties on Thursday, May 18, the tribunal told all the appearing attorneys that it would reserve its ruling until Monday, May 22.
Presidential tribunal: Labour Party, Peter Obi reiterates position live coverage of proceedings
Reacting to this development, Emeka Obasi, the spokesperson for Peter Obi, appealed to the tribunal to rule in favour of the party as the decision would foster transparency in the whole process.
As reported by Punch, he said:
“We are in the modern age where transparency is required. An election is being disputed by four political parties. To be fair and for equity, it is very much expected that processes are steamed live for people to follow. We are talking about over 200 million Nigerians. The courtroom cannot contain 1,000 people.
“Every interested Nigerian should be given the access to see for himself or herself the proceedings of the most important ruling in the history of the country. So, if we are practising democracy, the tribunal has nothing other than to approve the live streaming.”
PDP maintains position on live coverage
Similarly, through its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said the demand for the live coverage of proceedings is to carry along citizens and electorates.
He said:
“Live telecast is consistent with democracy because participatory democracy provides that the people have the right to know. As a party, we are saying that elections are a process, not an event.
‘’The Independent National Electoral Commission in its guidelines to the elections under the Electoral Act enjoins parties to be transparent and in most cases, what the political parties did were televised.’’
Labour Party supporters go berserk on Twitter, insist on a live telecast of proceedings at tribunal
Meanwhile, Labour Party and Obi supporters took to Twitter to vent their displeasure over INEC’s refusal to back the application seeking a live telecast of the tribunal.
A popular hashtag which reads’ #LivebroadcastInTheCourtRoom’ is already making the rounds with several comments and reactions rolling out ahead of the court’s final decision on Monday, May 22.
It was gathered that the hashtag had amassed over 200,000 tweets as of midday on Sunday, May 21.
One of Obi’s supporters, Ndi Kato, said:
“We are seeking to have a live broadcast of the election tribunal on tv stations but the court which we are depending on for that ruling has now banned phones in the court. Which way Nigeria? Why is our judiciary like this?”
In his tweet, Malcolm Omirhobo, a legal practitioner, said INEC and APC's opposition of a live coverage shows that they both have unclean hands.
David Titiloye, a member of the PDP tweeted:
“The lawyers of the PDP have been insisting on the live broadcast of the presidential election tribunal because Atiku is confident that it will be tougher for the judiciary to pervert justice when the whole country is watching but APC and INEC have been insisting otherwise. Why ?”
The pastor of Household of Love Church, Yinka Yusuf, via his Twitter account, @rev-yinkayusuf, said:
“Mr Judiciary, please shock the world by allowing live broadcast of the presidential election tribunal. Only a thief is afraid of stop and search!. Go to court is not go to a secret society. We can’t wait to congratulate whoever is the true winner.”
Tribunal Places Embargo on Use of Phones, Gadgets in Courtroom
Meanwhile, senior advocates, lawyers, petitioners and observers will no longer be allowed their phones inside the courtroom for the ongoing election tribunal.
This development was confirmed on Saturday, May 20, by the secretary of the presidential tribunal Josephine Ekperobe.
According to Josephine Ekperobe, an order from above would take effect from Monday, May 22.
Source: Legit.ng
