Proceedings: Tribunal Throws Out Obi, Atiku's Request For Live Coverage ***Ruling Not A Setback- PDP

Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) sitting in Abuja has thrown out the request by the Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi and his Peoples Democratic  Party (PDP) PDP counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, for live coverage of the proceedings. 

The five-member panel led by the Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon, unanimously resolved on Monday that the order sought by the petitioners lacked merit and was outside the scope of the petition.

In addition, the judges held that televising of proceedings was not captured in the law, adding that the court was created by the constitution and operated under the law by the Court Of Appeal.

Justice Tsammani hinted that the court was created to hear and determine the petitions before it and cannot act as a vanguard.

The judge held that the undue pressure of allowing cameras into the courtroom should be avoided as the impact on witnesses would be unimaginable. 

“The court is created to find out the truth and should be allowed to do so,” Justice Tsammani added.

Reacting, the PDP and Abubakar said that the dismissal of their application for a live broadcast by the PEPC was not a setback to their petition against the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

Counsel to PDP and Abubakar, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, stated this while responding to questions from newsmen shortly after the PEPC’s decision.

He said the court decided that the subject of their application on the live streaming and open telecast lacked merit, saying that the petition is separate and ongoing. 

Jegede informed that his clients are set for pre-hearing tomorrow, that would determine the progress of the petition and the time the petition would be heard and concluded. 

On consolidation of the entire petitions, he said that it was compelled by statute and that they had no objection to it.