The suit filed by lawyers representing Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi seeking a live broadcast of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal proceedings has been dismissed by the tribunal.
According to reports, the justices issued their decision, stating that the request for televised proceedings is irrelevant to the petition and is not supported by existing legislation.
According to the ruling’s author, Justice Haruna Tsammani, “Televising court cases is not provided for by the constitution, and the powers are not vested hereon.”
“This panel, sitting as PEPT, has only the authority to hear presidential cases.”
“The issue of television is one of policy.
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“This court has no authority to create that policy.”
“However, in the case of fair hearing and justice, the justices have the authority to grant a legal right or compel the televising of proceedings.”
“This application is without merit and is therefore dismissed.”
The main petitioners challenging the outcome of the presidential election, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, had requested that the proceedings be broadcast live to ensure transparency and wider access to the legal proceedings.
The tribunal’s decision, however, upholds the current practice of holding hearings without live broadcasting.
More to come on this…
