Peoples Democratic Party {PDP} and its presidential candidate in the February 25th presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, have applied for an order that will allow for live coverage of daily proceedings at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).
Atiku, in a motion filed by his legal team led by Chris Uche {SAN}, specifically applied 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 party and Atiku had filed a petition challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu as president-elect after the presidential elections held in February.
According to the PDP candidate, the petition before the PEPC was a matter of national concern and public interest, arguing that the case involved citizens and electorates in the 36 states of the Federation who participated in the just concluded presidential polls while adding that the international community is interested in Nigeria’s electoral process.
“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 is in consonance 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”, the petitioners noted.