The request for a live broadcast of the proceedings of the
presidential election petition tribunal faced stiff opposition in court on
Thursday.
Lateef Fagbemi, counsel to the All Progressives Congress
(APC), asked the tribunal to dismiss the application by Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), made the request on May 7.
The former vice-president had said televising the
proceedings will enhance public confidence.
Arguing the motion, Chris Uche, counsel for Atiku and the
PDP, said: “There is no single legislative or statutory position against it.”
He said a live broadcast doesn’t necessarily mean the faces
of the justices would be shown.
Opposing the application, Fagbemi said bringing cameras into
the court for live streaming is no different from the Big Brother Naija reality
show.
In his submission, Abubakar Mahmoud, counsel to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said a live broadcast “will
only defeat the solemn atmosphere of the court”.
“We don’t want to be put under additional pressure by having
cameras in our faces,” Mahmoud added.
President-elect Bola Tinubu, represented by Wole Olanipekun,
said he is surprised by the application.
“The court is not a stadium or a crusade ground. It is not a
theatre or circus,” he said
All the respondents’ counsel prayed the court to dismiss the
application.
Meanwhile, all parties in the suit have agreed that
materials certified by INEC which would be tendered during the hearing will not
be objected to.
The court has adjourned the matter to Friday for
continuation.
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If courts are to become crusade grounds to engender justice, so be it.
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