INEC, Tinubu, APC Oppose Live Telecast of Presidential Tribunal Proceedings,

INEC, Tinubu, APC Oppose Live Telecast of Presidential Tribunal Proceedings,

The Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC ) on Thursday kicked against the request of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku for live telecast of his petition challenging the declaration of Senator Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential election. However,

The Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC ) on Thursday kicked against the request of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku for live telecast of his petition challenging the declaration of Senator Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential election.

However, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu have agreed not to kick against all documents that emanated from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of the February 25 presidential election.

The respondents in the petition in their separate objections to Alhaji Abubakar’s request on Thursday insisted that the solemn nature of the court would be put in jeopardy if granted.

Senator Tinubu in his objections raised by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN ), his lead counsel, said that Alhaji Abubakar’s request was not only surprising but dangerous as it was capable of prejudicing the Court itself.

Chief Olanipekun told the five Justices that Alhaji Abubakar should not be allowed to turn the Court to a football stadium, a crusade ground, a theatre or film grounds where all manners of telecast could be permitted. He said that the Court should not grant an order that cannot be enforced or supervised adding that the present moment is not the best time for such a request to be granted.

He warned that the request if granted could expose judicial officers to avoidable dangers and demanded that heavy cost be imposed on Alhaji Abubakar for making the request.

Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) who opposed on behalf of APC faulted the request adding that the facility and policy documents are not there for the application to be granted. He said the Petitioners failed to disclose injuries he would suffer if the request was not granted adding that at the moment, nobody, including Alhaji Abubakar had not complained of inadequate coverage of the proceedings so far. Prince Fagbemi insisted that Alhaji Abubakar did not deserve to be granted the request

The electoral body in its own objections by its lead counsel, A. B. Mahmoud (SAN) said that Court room is for serious business and not a market place where anything goes adding that the request for live coverage is unnecessary and uncalled for and should not be granted.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani has reserved ruling on whether to grant the request or not.

Alhaji Abubakar had approached the Court for an order allowing live broadcast of the day to day proceedings regarding his petition because of its monumental importance.

The Petitioners in the application specifically prayed the tribunal for “An order Directing the Court’s Registry and the parties on modalities for admission of Media Practitioners and their Equipment into the courtroom.”

The application filed on their behalf by their team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, is predicated amongst other grounds that: “The matter before the Honourable Court is a dispute over the outcome of the Presidential Election held on 25th February 2023, a matter of national concern and public interest, involving citizens and voters in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who voted and participated in the said election; and the International Community as regards the workings of Nigeria’s Electoral Process”.

They contended that being a unique electoral dispute with a peculiar constitutional dimension, it is a matter of public interest whereof millions of Nigerian citizens and voters are stakeholders with a constitutional right to receive.

Having concluded their arguments on the live coverage application ,counsels reported to the court on documents to be presented before the court.

The documents must, however, be certified as true reflection of the original copies in line with the provisions of the law guiding admissibility of documents.

These resolutions were conveyed to the 5-man panel of Justices of the Presidential Election Petition Court hearing the joint petition of Alhaji Abubakar and PDP by Chief Uche (SAN).

Chief Olanipekun (SAN) lead Counsel to Senator Tinubu corroborated the position of Alhaji Abubakar’s counsel not to object to all certified documents from the electoral body.

He said they jointly agreed to allow the documents to be freely scrutinized by the Court in order to arrive at just and fair conclusions in their judgment.

Lead Counsel for the All Progressives Congress ( APC). Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN confirmed the same position to the Court.

He explained that they agreed to the decisions to allow the documents be tendered unhindered so as to make hearing of Alhaji Abubakar’s petition seamless.

The electoral body through its counsel, Mr Mahmoud (SAN) said that his client would be ready to make all the required documents available at the appropriate time as a way of ensuring speedy and expeditious hearing of all the petitions challenging the presidential election.

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