The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it
would file a response to an application by Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seeking a live broadcast of the presidential
election petition tribunal.
Atiku, who is challenging the outcome of the February 25
presidential poll, had said televising the proceedings would enhance public
confidence in the judiciary.
At the pre-hearing session on Thursday, Abubakar Mahmoud,
counsel to INEC, said the commission would file its response to the application
before the end of the day.
Earlier, Chris Uche, counsel to Atiku and the PDP, told the
court that parties in the suit have met and harmonised issues for
determination.
“The first item
resolved by the various counsel are documents. On this, we agreed and set up a
team to look at the documents and agreed to eliminate objections while
tendering from the bar during the hearing.
“We intend to do that between Monday and Tuesday and then
prepare a schedule of documents to facilitate the hearing.
“The second is the issues for trial. For the petitioners, we
have filed ours today and served all the parties subject to any modifications
by the honourable court.
“Lastly, with respect
to motions pending before the court, we have just one motion filed on May 7.
That is the motion on televising the petition. We are yet to receive the
responses of the other counsel.”
The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said he has been served
with four motions — two from the 1st respondent and two from the 3rd
respondent.
Uche said he has reacted to one and is preparing the other
responses.
He thereafter prayed the court to adjourn the matter to next
Thursday as agreed by all the parties.
The tribunal consequently adjourned the pre-hearing to May
18.
Meanwhile, the petition of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
also came up on Thursday.
Counsel representing parties in the matter said they have
agreed to have a meeting on Monday and Tuesday to harmonise their processes.
The petition was further adjourned to May 18 for
continuation.
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