Presidential Polls: Tribunal fixes Monday for ruling on Obi, LP’s request for live coverage

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has reserved ruling till Monday on the application by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) for live telecast of the proceedings of the court.

Justice Haruna Tsammani led five-member panel fixed that date after counsel to parties had adopted their briefs of arguments for and against the motion.

While the petitioners represented by Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN) has urged the court to grant the request, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) for INEC, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettma, and Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) for the APC, moved their various counter affidavits and prayed the court to reject the application for being without merit and constituting a distraction to the court.

Earlier in the day, the court heard similar application by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDD) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and reserved its ruling for a yet-to-be announced.

Before that, the adjournment in the Obi and LP petition, the court refused rejected attempt by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN) from representing the Labour Party in its petition against Tinubu.

The senior lawyer, Chief Oba Maduabuchi (SAN) Maduabuchi had told the court that he was briefed by the party to represent them. This is after another senior advocate, Awa Kalu, had made an appearance for the party.

He was however stopped by the panel who insisted that the legal representation for the petitioners is one.

The chairman of the panel told Maduabuchi that he did not file the petition and as such cannot represent the party.

Justice Haruna Tsammani noted that the SAN that being a Senior Advocate, ought to have advised his client properly.

He was asked to either sit and observe the proceedings or take his leave.

He opted for the second option and left the courtroom.

It was apparent that Oba may have been briefed b the Lamidi Apapa led faction of the party.

He told the court that he was instructed by the party to appear on its behalf and to represent it in the matter.

However, the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the court declined to record his appearance.

“You did not file this petition. Let the person that filed the case announce appearance. We cannot record you,” Justice Tsammani held.

Another member of the panel berated Maduabuchi, SAN, for accepting the brief when he was aware that the party already had its team of lawyers.

Earlier, Obi, who was in court, had announced himself as the representative of the petitioners.

Interestingly, the two factional Chairmen of the party, Julius Abure and Lamidi Apapa, were both in court for the matter.

Peter Obi also made representation for himself and his political party.