‘It will enhance public confidence’ — Atiku asks tribunal to televise proceedings

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has asked the presidential election petition tribunal to televise its proceedings.

Atiku, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the request on Monday during the pre-hearing of the petitions at the tribunal.

Chris Uche, Atiku’s lawyer, spoke on his behalf.

“An integral part of the constitutional duty of the court to hold proceedings in public is a discretion to allow public access to proceedings either physically or by electronic means,” the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said.

“With the huge and tremendous technological advances and developments in Nigeria and beyond, including the current trend by this honourable court towards embracing electronic procedures, virtual hearing and electronic filing, a departure from the rules to allow a regulated televising of the proceedings in this matter is in consonance with the maxim that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done.

“Televising court proceedings is not alien to this honourable court, and will enhance public confidence.”

The members of the presidential election petition tribunal are Haruna Simon Tsamani (chairman of the panel), Stephen Adah, Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Moses Ugo and Abba Mohammed.