Election Court: Justice Tsammani Rules out Live Broadcasting Request

The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, has rejected the request by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi to allow a live broadcast of its proceeding.

The chairman, Justice Haruna Tsammani on Monday said the application by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) lacked merit.

The duo has approached the court, following their quest to challenge the result of the February 25 presidential poll.

The court ruled that no legislative scheme or administrative directive gave it the right to approve such an application.

According to their conclusion, permitting cameras in courtrooms is a significant judicial policy that needs to be protected by the law.

“The court can only be guided and act in accordance with the practice directions and procedures approved by the President of the Court of Appeal.

“We cannot permit a situation that may lead to dramatization of our proceedings,” he noted.

Additionally, the court ruled that the submission was not included in any of the petitions it was considering because it was only based on an emotional argument that it would help the electorates. 

It argued that the petitioners had not demonstrated how broadcasting the proceedings would help their quest and that there would be no added benefit to the petition’s resolution from such a live broadcast.

In the end, Justice Tsammani determined that the petition lacked merit and dismissed it.