The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar have requested that the proceedings of the Presidential Election Petition Court, which is based in Abuja, be broadcast live. The Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, have stated that they support this request.
After the court adjourned the pre-hearing session in their petition contesting the election of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, counsel for the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Dr. Livy Uzuokwu (SAN), made this known to reporters on Wednesday.
According to Uzoukwu, it is essential that the sessions be broadcast live so that Nigerians can learn about what happens at the Court firsthand and have any lingering questions about it answered.
He said live broadcast of court proceedings was initiated by colonial masters but jettisoned when Nigeria got independence.
He said, with the realities on ground, live broadcast of court proceedings has become imperative and that Obi and the Labour Party are in total support of the request by Atiku and his party.
For instance, he said the court room cannot conveniently accommodate 200 people and the 200 people cannot adequately represent Nigerians, adding that if the proceedings are broadcast live, Nigerians will be better informed.
“During the hearing of the motion on notice by Atiku and the PDP, Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Mr. Obi will be fully in support”, the senior lawyer said.
Meanwhile, further pre-hearing session in the petition of LP and Obi has been shifted to May 17 by the Presidential Election Petition Court.
The pre-hearing session was shifted at the request of LP and Its presidential candidate to enable them consolidate on processes so far filed and those yet to be filed.
Following the request of counsel to Obi to the effect, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani in a brief ruling granted the application and fixed next week Wednesday as the return date.
