…decry low reportage of National Assembly tribunal proceedings
By Musa Baba Adamu
As the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal on Kano Central Senatorial district is set to deliver iits judgement comes July 24, 2023, Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) said it was keen on the outcome of the petition.
Briefing the media in Abuja, African Parliamentary Advocates and Reform Groups (APARG)in collaboration with Coalition fo Parliamentary Advocates and Democracy Consolidation Nigeria (CoPADeCoN), also said it was disappointed at the near zero reportage of proceedings at the various National Assembly Election Petition tribunals across the country.
Amb. Sunday Chibuzor, who addressed the Press on behalf of others said CSOs were particularly keen on the Kano Central Senatorial Tribunal findings because of its uniqueness with potential to set a new precedence in the Democratic experience of the country.
Recall that former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau who got the ticket to run for the position under the New Nigerians Peoples Party (NNPP) left for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the election and was replaced by the NNPP with Sen Rufai Hanga, a change that was not reflected in the records of the INEC before the election.
The Coalition which said this situation was not envisaged by the Electoral Act 2022, regretted that due to the inadequate coverage ofTribunal proceedings by the Media, the people were left in the dark,a situation that could lead to further lack of trust in Democracy.
It said: “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.u
“But following INEC concerns, challenging of the matter in court, and eventual Supreme Court Ruling, a certificate of return was issued to another Member of the Party. ”
Describing theK Kano Central Election Petition as a litmus test to the Judiciary, it said there was the need for the judiciary to be seen to follow the spirit and letter of its procedures and the extant provisions of Nigeria’s electoral governance laws and framework with regard to this matter, declaring that “Our Eyes Are on the Kano Central Judgement being expected. ”
It further said: “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.”
Calling on the media to do more in discharging its duty to democravy as envisaged by the Constitution, the Coalition said being the bastion of Democracy, the happenings at the National Assembly tribunals proceedings across the country deseverd more attention from the Media than it was currently getting.
“Over these years, the legislature is still challenged by a high legislative turnover rate both in terms of the rate of return to the National Assembly and in the rate of serving legislators who are devoted to core legislative functions and institutional building.
“Othersare the lingering problems of low perception of the legislature by citizens, issues surrounding the general recruitment process, and low media coverage of some legislative matters.”
