President-elect Bola Tinubu has described the
application by his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a live broadcast of the proceedings of the election petition as an “abuse of the processes of this honourable court.”
In response to the application, Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima, through the team of their lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun implored the Presidential Election Petition Court to dismiss the application, arguing that the relief demanded by the applicants is not such that the court could grant it.
The respondents said, “With much respect to the petitioners, the motion is an abuse of the processes of this honourable court.”
They added that the request by Atiku and his party should be thrown out because the court “is not a rostrum or a soapbox. It is not also a stadium or theatre. It is not an arena for ‘public’ entertainment.”
They stated, in the counter affidavit, that the application was linked to policy formulation of the court, which is outside the PEPC’s jurisdiction as constituted.
“The application also touches on the powers and jurisdiction invested in the President of the Court of Appeal by the Constitution, over which this honourable court as presently constituted cannot entertain.
“The application touches on the administrative functions, which are exclusively reserved for the President of the Court of Appeal.
“The application is aimed at dissipating the precious judicial time of this honourable court.
“The said application does not have any bearing with the petition filed by the petitioners before this honourable court.
“It is in the interest of justice for this honourable court to dismiss the said application filed by the petitioners,” they said.
