Tinubu and Shettima
Tinubu and Shettima

PEPC decides whether to allow live broadcast of its proceedings on Monday

The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, has fixed Monday May 22, 2023 to deliver it’s ruling on the motion on notice brought by Peter Obi and Labour Party for live broadcast of the proceedings of the court .

Presiding Justice, Haruna Tsammani announced the date for the ruling on Friday shortly before he adjourned the court sitting to Saturday, May 20, 2023 for continuation of the pre-hearing session.

Peter Obi lead counsel, Prof. Awa Kalu had on Friday moved the petitioners motion for broadcast of the court proceedings in the interest of public
and prayed the court to grant it.

Prof Kalu told the court that the application was filed on May 9, 2023 with five paragraphs supporting affidavit and five exhibits marked A to E, and that they also filed a written address wherein they prayed the court to grant the main relief – permission to broadcast the proceedings live.

But Abubakar Mahmoud,SAN, the INEC lead counsel vehemently opposed the application in his 11 paragraphs counter affidavits.

The second and third respondents Bola Tinubu and All Progressive Congress APC who were represented by chief Wole Olanipekun SAN and Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN , respectively opposed the application and asked.the court to dismiss it.

The Presidential Election Petition Court on Friday heard six other separate interlocutory applications that arose from the petition filed by Atiku Abubakar/ People Democratic Party PDP, and Peter Obi / Labour Party.

Presiding Justice Tsammani reserved the court ruling on each of the six applications.

Two of the applications were brought by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC praying the court to strike out 32 allegations contained in Atiku Abubakar petition and to strike out his response in certain paragraphs. While the other two applications were brought by All Progressives Congress APC.

Three other separate interlocutory applications were brought by President -Elect Ahmed Bola Tinubu seeking the court order to strike out what he termed fundamentally defective paragraphs in Atiku Abubakar’s petition.

APC also brought two separate interlocutory applications in which they prayed the court to strike out certain paragraphs in Atiku petition.