The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, in Abuja, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani on Monday, said the court would not permit a situation where the live coverage may lead to the dramatization of its proceedings.
The Justice Tsammani-led five member panel further held that the application lack merit.
Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate in the February 29, 2023, poll, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the party, first made the application.
They were later joined by the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, who also demanded live broadcast of proceedings of the court on the petitions.
Atiku and PDP on one hand and Labour Party and Obi on the other hand in their different substantive petitions are challenging the declaration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as winner of the February 25, election.
On the need for live coverage of the court hearing, Atiku and PDP, and Obi in their separate applications, had argued that the petitions involved the interest of citizens and electorates in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who they said voted and participated in the presidential poll.
According to them, televising court proceedings was not alien to the court, and it would enhance public confidence.
The application was opposed by the APC, Tinubu and INEC.
Ruling on the application on Monday, Justice Tsammani held, “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,” the court added.
