The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) hearing the case of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential polls, is getting ready to roll out the red carpet. Atiku and the PDP want live broadcast of the tribunal’s day-to-day proceedings.
The PDP’s legal team, led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, filed an application on May 5 requesting “An order Directing the Court’s Registry and the parties on modalities for admission of Media Practitioners and their Equipment into the courtroom.” Atiku and his team argue that the election dispute is of national concern and public interest, with millions of Nigerian citizens and voters as stakeholders with a constitutional right to receive.
The NBA, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, and the Leaders of Thoughts and Legal Icons have also supported the initiative. The group had invited Nigerians to sign up on an appeal on commonbliceng, a non-partisan online platform, in support of the initiative.
The request for live broadcast is not new to the PEPT, which has embraced electronic procedures, virtual hearing, and electronic filing. A regulated televising of the proceedings will enhance public confidence and ensure justice is seen to be done.
The matter has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
