A non-governmental organization, African Parliamentary Advocates and Reform Groups, (APARG) in collaboration with a Coalition of Parliamentary Advocate and Democracy Consolidation of Nigeria, (CoPAdeCoN), have lamented against poor and low media coverage of National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal (NAEPT) by journalists across the country.
Speaking with newsmen during a world press conference in Abuja, the Director of the group, Ambassador Chibuzo Okereke explained that as a group, they have observed and with dismay the alleged suppression of and low interest of major news media Organization in the coverage of proceeding of National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals.
He noted that the Kano State Central District Senatorial Judgement is going to be a litmus test for the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, NAEPT, in Nigeria
According to Ambassador Okereke, the most Prominent of these cases in this category includes the Kano Central Senatorial district petition judgement which has been fixed on July 24th this Month, emphasising that Kano Central is about the largest Senatorial District in Nigeria as it’s the only Senatorial District in the last 2023 General Elections where the person who was returned as the winner by INEC immediately relinquished his victory after the declaration on the grounds that he had resigned his Membership of the Party that Sponsored him as the candidate before the election.
Consequently, the group expressed worry that about 50% out of the 469 seats in the National Assembly is being challenged at various Tribunals in the country, lamenting that the various flagship platforms of major media organizations in the country are being saturated with the reportage of the proceedings of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunals.
“Little or no attention has been channeled toward the interesting and intriguing proceedings that have characterized the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunals”.
“The fourth estate of the realm which is the media saddled with the responsibility of setting the agenda, enlightening the public, and obligation of accountability of the government to the people has unfortunately not shown the required interest in the coverage of the proceedings of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals”, he said.
According to the group, “Prominent among the cases in this category is the Kano Central Senatorial district petition, among others which is now set for judgment by July 24th, 2023. Kano Central is about the largest Senatorial District in Nigeria and the only Senatorial District in the 2023 General Elections where the person returned as the winner by INEC relinquished the victory after the declaration on the grounds that he had resigned his Membership of the Party that Sponsored him as the candidate before the election, at the time also, the window for candidates replacement/substitution has elapsed in accordance with the relevant extant provisions of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2022 and the INEC 2023 General Elections Guidelines”.
Ambassador Okereke explained that the Kano Central Election Petition will be a litmus test to the Judiciary in terms of procedure and the extant provisions of Nigeria’s electoral governance laws and framework.
According to him,”Our Eyes Are on the Kano Central Judgement being expected. These and more are what have made the Kano Central Senatorial District Tribunal Case unique and intriguing as it presents an observable lacuna in the much-celebrated 2022 Electoral law.
“But more importantly, it is a litmus test for the judiciary and judges saddled with that responsibility in line with the prescriptions and predictions of section 285 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, Electoral Guidelines, and the point of law.
“We believe this should agitate the minds of all promoters and defenders of democracy that is based on the rule of law. For us at the CoPADeCoN, at a time when the notion, ideals, and practices of democracy have come under great stress in the past decade.
“We believe that the legislature, judiciary, media, and active citizens have the utmost responsibility to continue to demonstrate resilience in ways and means that promote transparency, accountability, an equitable and responsible show of duty of care by all State and non-state actors in solidarity with the prevailing ideals of democracy”.
He however, stated that Dmocracy is about the process which confers legitimacy based on constitutionalism, stressing as a group, they want to use the opportunity to call on all watchdog institutions of governments, particularly the Media to retool the approach to Election Petition Reportage in Nigeria and ensure commensurate attention to the Legislative Election Petition Proceedings not just because the legislature is important but that the work of the media provides critical oversight on the Judiciary and complementarity efforts in the strive for democracy consolidation in Nigeria.
Also Read:
Insecurity: South-east lost N4trn in 2 years to sit-at-home order‒Kalu
PHOTOS: How Aquatech College was demolished ‘with students on site’
FG set to replace dissolved federal government board appointments
