Obi, LP Back Atiku on Live Broadcast of Presidential Proceedings

•Court adjourns over non-filing, service of outstanding processes

•APP withdraws petition against Tinubu

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has declared full support for his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar’s request for a live broadcast of the court proceedings of the 2023 presidential election cases.

Obi’s position was made known by his lead lawyer, Dr Levi Ozoukwu, SAN, shortly after yesterday’s court session.

Speaking with journalists outside the courtroom, Ozoukwu noted that Atiku’s request was not novel. He said the current situation in the country had made live broadcast of court sittings imperative, and as such, Obi and the Labour Party would give their full support to Atiku and PDP at the hearing of the application.

According to him, live broadcast of the proceedings would enable, “Nigerians have first hand information on the goings-on” at the tribunal, adding that it would also clear whatever doubts in the minds of Nigeria regarding the proceedings.

Ozoukwu noted that live broadcast of courts proceedings was initiated by the colonial masters but was later jettisoned by politicians, when the country gained independence.

Arguing that the realities on the ground supported live broadcast, Ozoukwu pointed out that the courtroom was too small and could hardly accommodate 200 persons. He said this was a far cry of a reasonable representation of the people.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Election Petition Court, yesterday, adjourned by one week, proceedings in a petition Obi against the election of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The adjournment, which was at the instance of all parties in the matter, was aimed at achieving expeditious hearing of the petition.

Monday’s inaugural sitting of the court had asked parties to harmonise their processes, agree on applications they would be objecting to and those they were not objecting and adjourned to Wednesday for continuation of pre-hearing session.

But at the resumed pre-hearing, counsel to Obi and LP, Ozoukwu, informed the court that due to the outstanding applications yet to be filed and served among parties, they had all agreed to seek a week adjournment to enable them file and exchange necessary briefs so that there would be no hiccups at the pre-hearing session.

His proposition was confirmed by Mr Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, counsel to INEC; Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, representing Tinubu and his deputy, Senator Kashim Shettima, and Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, representing the APC.

In a short ruling, Justice Haruna Tsammani fixed Wednesday, May 17, for continuation of pre-hearing, adding that parties should endeavour to harmonise all processes to fastrack hearing in the petition.

In a related development, barely 48 hours after the Action Alliance (AA) withdrew its petition challenging the declaration of APC’s candidate, Bola Tinubu, as winner of the presidential election, another party, the Action People’s Party (APP), yesterday, followed suit.

Five out of the 18 political parties that contested the February 25 presidential election had approached the Presidential Election Petition Court to challenge the emerge of Tinubu as President-elect.

The petitioners, included the AA, APP, Labour Party, Allied People’s Movement (APM) and PDP. They had hinged their petitions on grounds ranging from non-compliance, corrupt practices and other malpractices.

While some of them claimed they won the poll and should be declared winner by the court, others seeking the cancellation of the poll and a fresh one conducted.

At the inaugural sitting of the court on Monday, AA, which had hinged its petition on ground of exclusion, withdrew it and it was, subsequently, dismissed by the court.

Although the court after hearing the case of the APP on Monday ordered the petitioner to harmonise its processes with that of the respondents to enable a smooth proceeding on the next adjourned date, surprisingly, when the matter was called yesterday, counsel to the APP, Mr. Obed Agu, informed the court of their Motion on Notice dated May 9, 2023, seeking the withdrawal of the petition it filed against Tinubu’s election.

The motion, the lawyer said, was brought pursuant to paragraph 29(1)(2)(3)(4) of the schedule for election petition.

While praying the court to grant it leave to withdraw its petition numbered: CA/PEPC/02/2023, he urged for an order striking it out, having been withdrawn.

Counsel to the respondents, Olanipekun; for Tinubu, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); for APC and Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not object to the application for the withdrawal of the petition, neither did they ask for cost.

In a short ruling, the presiding justice, Justice Haruna Tsammani, granted the prayers of APP and, accordingly, dismissed the petition.

“Having considered the application and response of the respondents, we are satisfied that there was no collision on the part of the respondents, the petition numbered, CA/PEPC/02/2023 is hereby dismissed, having been withdrawn.”

Following, the withdrawal of AA and APP, it is now remaining three petitioners challenging the declaration of Tinubu as President-elect.