Presidential Poll Judgment: Security at alert, live broadcast guaranteed for Wednesday

…Only accredited Court staff, lawyers, others ‘ll be allowed in

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

As Nigerians await the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition of the February 25, 2023 scheduled to be pronounced by the five man panel of judges on Wednesday 6th September, the police and the military have said they will not condone any unlawful action by troublemakers.

The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, warned those who might be planning to cause violence on that day to discard the idea.

Chief Registrar, Court of Appeal headquarters, Umar Bangari, While announcing the judgment day on Monday stated that the tribunal verdict would be aired live on television stations.

He noted that this was informed to promote transparency and openness and for Nigerians to watch the proceeding life from wherever they are.

He said, “The Court of Appeal wishes to inform the general public that judgment in the following petitions before the Presidential Election Petition Court will be delivered on Wednesday 6th September, 2023.

President Tinubu, Alh. Atiku & Obi

‘’CA/PEPC/03/2023 between Mr. Peter Gregory Obi & Anor vs Independent National Electoral Commission & 3 Ors; CA/PEPC/04/2023 between Allied Peoples Movement vs Independent National Electoral Commission & 4 Ors; CA/PEPC/05/2023 between Abubakar Atiku & Anor vs Independent National Electoral Commission & 2 Ors.

‘’In a bid to promote transparency and openness, these judgments will be televised live by interested television stations for the public to follow.”

He also said only accredited persons, including the counsel and representatives of political parties, would be granted access to the courtroom on the judgment day.

“Access to the court premises will be strictly on accreditation. Only accredited individuals, including counsel and representatives of political parties, will be granted access to the courtroom.

‘’Interested members of the public are advised to watch proceedings from their television sets. We appeal for the maximum cooperation of the general public to ensure a hitch-free exercise, please,” the statement added.

Also in the same vain, the Court of Appeal, Abuja, has directed its staff to stay at home on Wednesday, the day fixed for the tribunal judgment.

Information reliably gathered has it that only a few accredited staff would be allowed inside the courtroom.

Inside source said, “We were told today that we should not come to work on Wednesday and that only those with tags would be allowed into the court premises on that day. They said it was for our own good. I learnt they would give those people that will come to work on Wednesday tags. If that is done, only a few people will come to work. “

Bangari, further described the matter as internal administrative proceeding, he said, “This is an internal administrative matter. If the staff were asked not to come to work on a day like that, it is strictly an internal affair. That is not important. In any case, NLC has declared a strike.”

The Treasurer for the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Musa Alonge, said the union, as an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress, would abide by its decisions.

He said, “We are an affiliate of NLC, and apart from that we have our own issues which we will also be giving them (the court authorities) a 21-day ultimatum. We are revisiting our issues on remuneration, we are on course.”

The tribunal justices who will deliver the verdict on Wednesday are the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Haruna Tsammani; Justice Stephen Adah of the Court of Appeal (Asaba Division), Justice Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf , Court of Appeal (Asaba Division), Justices

Yakubu

The Chairman of the INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had on March 1 declared Tinubu the president-elect because his party scored the majority of votes cast at the said poll that the former Lagos State governor polled 8.8 million to defeat the Peoples’ Democratic Party standard bearer, Atiku Abubakar, who scored 6.9 million, Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, who polled 6.1 million votes, and 15 other candidates.

Not satisfied by the conduct and outcome of the poll, five of the 18 political parties that participated in the elections turned to the court to contest the declaration by the electoral body.

The Justice Tsammani led five-member panel had dismissed the petitions of the AA and the APP which was sequel to a formal withdrawal of the petitions by the parties.

Ebitie Ndok-Jegede, APM presidential candidate

The panel on August 1, after the PDP, the LP, and the APM had adopted their final written addresses reserved judgement to a date to be announced later.