The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, has adjourned till Saturday, the 20th of May 2023 by 10 am.
The Judges stated that it will give a ruling on the motions filed including the motion on live streaming of the court process.
The motion filed by Peter Obi and Labour Party is against the conduct of the Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 election without meeting the qualifications, and also against Kashim Shettima, the Vice President-elect on having a double nomination before the election.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are challenging the outcome of the election and seeking the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return that was issued to Tinubu by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The application filed by their team of lawyers led by Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria also included a motion for the live coverage of day-to-day proceedings on his petition,
“An integral part of the constitutional duty of the court to hold proceedings in public is a discretion to allow public access to proceedings either physically or by electronic means.
“With the huge and tremendous technological advances and developments in Nigeria and beyond, including the current trend by this court towards embracing electronic procedures, virtual hearing, and electronic filing, a departure from the rules to allow a regulated televising of the proceedings in this matter aligns with the maxim that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.
“Televising court proceedings is not alien to this court, and will enhance public confidence.”
