Updated: No live coverage of presidential election petition proceedings, court rules

Breaking: No live coverage of presidential petitions proceedings, court rules

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has turned down a request for live coverage of its proceedings on petitions seeking to nullify the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.

Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five member panel dismissed the request as lacking in merit.

The application was brought before it by Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, the two major candidates challenging the outcome of the presidential election held on February 25.

The court said no regulatory framework or policy direction permitted it to grant such application.

It held that allowing cameras in the court room is a major judicial policy that must be supported 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,” Justice Tsammani held.

Besides, the court held that the request was not part of any relief in the petitions before it, saying it was merely hinged on sentimental claim that it would benefit the electorates.

It maintained that the petitioners failed to establish how televising the proceedings would advance their case, adding that such live broadcast would not have any utilitarian value to add to the determination of the petitions.