INEC, Tinubu Oppose Live Broadcast Of Presidential Tribunal Proceedings, Panel Reserves Ruling

The Independent National Electoral Commission and the President-elect Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC have opposed a motion by the Peoples Democratic Party and it’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, requesting for live broadcast of the Presidential Election Petition Court sittings.

The Court is set to hear petitions seeking the nullification of the election victory of Tinubu on the grounds that he did not score majority of lawful votes cast in 2/3 of the federation including the FCT.

But Atiku’s legal team led by Chris Uche filed a motion urging the court to urgently allow live broadcast of proceedings because of its” national import.”

Uche argued that while INEC and Tinubu opposed his motion, there is no statutory legislation against his request.

“That it has not been done before does not mean it should not been done.

“If the election results was not transmitted, at least the court proceedings should be transmitted real time,” Uche said adding that it will make lawyers coordinate themselves in court.

But INEC’s lawyer, A.B. Mahmoud SAN opposed the application saying that the court is a public place for all including the media.

He said in all jurisdiction where live transmission is done, it is controlled by the court, adding that allowing media houses into proceedings will defeat the solemn atmosphere in court.

“This application is unnecessary and uncalled for and we should be allowed to concentrate on business,” Mahmoud pleaded.

He disagreed with Uche’s submission that live transmission of proceedings will make lawyers in the case sit up.

On his part, Tinubu’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun SAN, said the application should be dismissed with cost.

“My Lord, we are here for serious business, this is not a stadium or crusade ground. Even an Area court cannot grant such prayers,” Olanipekun said.

He explained that media houses are already represented by their reporters inside the court.

He queried what the petitioners want to achieve with live transmission of proceedings.

“There is no nexus between the request for live broadcast of proceedings and the petitioners petition.

“The court should not make an order it cannot surpervise,” Olanipekun argued.

He further argued that in the United Kingdom, there is already a practice direction from the court that only the sentencing part of a criminal trial will be transmitted.

In Nigeria, Olanipekun said there is no policy backing what PDP wants.

For the APC, its lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi SAN urged the court to discountenance the motion adding that the PDP has not disclosed what injury it would suffer if the request was not granted.

He said court should not allow media houses to beam its searchlight on the court like it is done in a show called “Big Brother Naija” (this threw the court into laughter).

Uche replied him by saying he is trying to trivialize his motion by tagging it “Big Brother Naija”.

“Ruling reserved, ” the court held.