The Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has called on the Judicial arm of government to allow a live and hearing already start for over broadcast of the proceedings of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), to give Nigerians the opportunity to follow the case and know what is happening, The Election Tribunal which has kick-off and hearing already started.
Onaiyekan, who made the call on Sunday for live broadcasting of the Presidential Election Tribunal while speaking with journalists at the World Communications Day celebration, with the theme: ‘Speaking the Truth with Love from Your Heart’, at St. Gabriel Chapel in Abuja, said that Nigerians wanted to see what is happening with the cases before Tribunal, for them to know what to expect.
He advised journalists to listen to every sides and relay to the public what is happening, because Nigerians wanted to see what is happening, adding that, that is why it was important that the petitions before the Tribunal should be available to Nigerians, so that all Nigerians will be able to follow what is happening.
“For me, this is very important. One thing that I think Nigerians do not seem to realise is that when elections are rigged, it is not the contestants or the politicians who are the most hit, those who have been most impacted and hit are me or you, we who went and voted. But as it stands, we do not even have locus standi in court.
“We are the ones who should be complaining there now, that my vote has been bastardised, destroyed. They tell me I cannot go to court because I did not contest the election. If we cannot go and make our case, at least we should be able to see what is happening inside there.”
Onaiyekan further said that all eyes were on the court, that Nigerians did their best to vote, and they were told to go to Court.
We are now in court. All eyes are on the court. And we believe that is why we will have trust in the court that they will finish the job that INEC did halfway. The fact remains that communication is meant to build not to destroy, to unite, not to divide, to entertain, not to make people sad and this is what we are praying for today,” he added.
