The Presidential Election Petition Court on Monday adjourned sitting till Tuesday in a petition by Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Aiku Abubakar prayers that the court allow a live broadcast of the court’s proceedings.
Penpushing reports that in the same vein, the panel headed by Justice Haruna Tsammani after entertaining some preliminary issues from Peter Obi’s, the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) also adjourned the suit until Wednesday, 10 May, 2023.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential Candidate in the legal suite jointly filed are praying for an order directing the court’s registry and the parties on modalities for admission of media practitioners and their equipment into the courtroom.
Penpushing further reports that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) representing Atiku, , Chris Uche in the request argued that the petitions before the court are matters of national concern involving citizens who voted during the last election, and posited that the litigation presents a unique constitutional dimension for the court to determine.
‘An integral part of the constitutional duty of the Court to hold proceedings in public is a discretion to allow public access to proceedings either physically or by electronic means’, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria emphasised
Penpushing also reports that the petitioner equally contended that the Court of Appeal’s adoption of virtual hearing and electronic filing permits the President Election Petition Court to transmit its proceedings live.
The petitioner citing the maxim that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done, insisted that televising court proceedings is not alien to the court, stressing that it will enhance public confidence.
Penpushing reports Obi’s legal team led by Livy Uzoukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on their part prayed the court to nullify the polls owing to alleged malpractices by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Presidential Candidate who came third at the poll as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his petition insisted that he was the winner of the election held in February 25, 2023
Penpushing further reports that the five-member panel earlier held its inaugural sitting during which it assured all litigants that it would do justice to all parties to the case pending before it., and this assurances came against the backdrop of Atiku’s doubts about the impartiality of the court to determine his petition without influence.
The counsels of All Progressives Congress (APC), Wole Olanipekun, and Lateef Fagbemi, both Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANs), informed the court they had filed their responses to the pre-hearing questions earlier raised by the court.
Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) who was declared the winner of the Presidential election is currently fighting to retain his victory amid opposition parties’ frantic call for an order to overturn his mandate.
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