The People’s Democratic Party or PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have asked the Presidential Election Petition Court, or PEPC to allow for live coverage of the proceedings of the court in the course of the election petition.
The PDP and Atiku are asking the court to allow journalists and their equipment to come into the courtroom for the hearing of their case. They filed an application to that effect on May 5, premised on the grounds that the matter before the court is a dispute over the outcome of the Presidential Election held on 25 February and is a matter of national concern and public interest.
Chris Uche, a legal representative of the PDP and their candidate contended that “being a unique electoral dispute with a peculiar constitutional dimension, it was a matter of public interest where millions of Nigerians were stakeholders with a constitutional right to receive.”
They also argued that allowing a regulated televised proceeding of the case would be in line with the saying 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,” the legal team added.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the application.
Meanwhile, The PEPC commenced proceedings on some petitions challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election today, May 8.
Atiku and the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, are challenging the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election. Both petitioners had urged the court to either declare them the winner of the election or nullify the poll and order a fresh one.
The tribunal at the close of business today adjourned its sitting to Wednesday, May 10.
