Stringent Security In Place As Media Sets Up For Live Broadcast Of Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Verdict
With the impending judgment day at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, numerous media houses are preparing equipment for the live coverage of the court’s ruling on petitions against President Bola Tinubu.
Given the highly anticipated verdict, stringent security measures have been established in the FCT to maintain order. Over 50 domestic and foreign media organizations, including BBC and Al Jazeera, have been accredited for courtroom access.
Sources indicate all legal teams have been directed to limit representatives on judgment day. Media houses also face restrictions on numbers allowed. Typically, each party has 30-40 lawyers present. However, INEC has complied by submitting just 8 names.
Peter Obi of the Labour Party is expected to attend Wednesday’s proceedings with other parties. The public will benefit from a live broadcast of the landmark verdict in the interest of transparency.
A robust security presence will surround the court, extending about 20-30 minutes out. This responds to DSS intelligence of plans by politicians to incite youth groups and protests nationwide.
The heightened precautions aim to deter violence and chaos in response to the judgment on Tinubu’s election being disputed by Obi, Atiku Abubakar of PDP and others. The PEPC will decide after examining all evidence.
While the tribunal’s verdict may be appealed to the Supreme Court, the imperative now is ensuring proceedings unfold peacefully through stringent access controls and beefed up security.
