A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Joe Agi has thrown his weight behind those calling for the proceedings of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal proceedings to be televised live.
It would be recalled that several Nigerians including the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, and Femi Falana have called for the live telecast of the tribunal’s proceedings.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP in an exclusive interview in Abuja, yesterday, the learned silk, Joe Agi, SAN, said that he agreed perfectly with Nigerians who are demanding that it should be televised, adding that the advantage of it is that the ordinary man on the street will now hear what the evidence before the court were so that when the justices deliver their judgement there will be no story that, the justices have been bought over or that there was injustice, or that there is no justice in the country.
He also said that he was not aware of any law forbidding it, saying that such telecast has even become more necessary because of the situation we have found ourselves in this country today where there is so much mistrust, there is so much doubt, there is so much complain of corruption, so much complain of injustice, so much complain of justices doing things not according to the law, and that they are not being fair.
“I think it would douse tension and it would help the credibility of our country if everybody watches live what is going on. For instance, if a witness for a petitioner comes and say ‘oh, I don’t understand, I cannot read,’ that shows you that the petitioner’s witness is not able to prove their case,” he added.
Also speaking about Nigerians who are skeptical of the judiciary giving justice in the ongoing petitions at the presidential election petition tribunal, he said that it was such skepticisms that made him to encourage the televising of the procedure live. “When they watch it live that their skepticism will disappear. You will know exactly who won and who did not win. You know exactly who presented a good case, we are all intelligent people. If someone presents a good case you will know, if he presents a bad case, you will know. So, if it is televised live and people are watching it, just like they televised the announcement of results. So, for me clearly speaking if they televise it live and the people watch, that skepticism will disappear,” he said.
He also spoke about suggestions that the presidential election petitions could be finished in two weeks if the judges and counsels are committed to it as obtainable in countries like Kenya and Ghana, saying that it was not as simple as some people are making it to look. He noted that those making the suggestion are right, but it would go against the Practice and Procedure as contained in the Electoral Act. For that to be possible he suggested that Practice and Procedure have to be amended in the Electoral Act.
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