Why we insisted on live broadcast of presidential election court proceedings — PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday affirmed that it is asking the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to allow live broadcast of its proceeding in line with the desire for openness and transparency in the electoral process.

The main opposition party had filed a Motion on Notice at the resumed hearing of the petition filed by its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the live broadcast will enable citizens to be directly involved in every stage of the process.

He said: “As you are aware, the Pre-hearing Session in our Petition before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) commenced today, Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

“The PDP and Atiku Abubakar have a water-tight Petition. Our facts and body of evidence are incontrovertible.

“Our Party restates its confidence in the ability of the Judiciary to discharge its Constitutional duty dispassionately based on the evidence before it.

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“At the Pre-hearing Session today, our Legal Team announced the filing of a Motion on Notice before the PEPT requesting a live broadcast of the proceedings of the Court.

“This application, which is innocuous, is in the interest of openness which is an essential ingredient of participatory democracy, especially as Nigerians are desirous of being directly involved at every stage of the electoral process.”

The PDP called on Nigerians to remain at alert, informed, and law-abiding as “we commence this crucial phase in the quest to rescue, rebuild and redirect our nation from the misrule of the APC.”

He said the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 poll appreciated Nigerians, the media, Civil Society, and all lovers of democracy for “their solidarity and support in the bid by the PDP to retrieve the Presidential mandate freely given to our Party at the February 25, 2023 Presidential election but brazenly stolen by the APC, aided by INEC.

“This solidarity is borne out of the fact that majority of Nigerians voted massively for Atiku Abubakar and they want that mandate retrieved and restored to the PDP and its candidate.”