Judgment day for Yar'Adua, Buhari, Atiku - Tribunal's judgment begins at 10:00am - IG threatens to deal with trouble makers

Lanre Adewole, Abuja with Agency Reports - 26.02.2008

THE Court of Appeal serving as the presidential election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja will this morning deliver judgment in a consolidated petition seeking to nullify the election of President Umaru Yar’Adua.

The two petitions that were consolidated by the tribunal were separately filed by General Muhammadu Buhari, candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in the April 21 presidential election, and his Action Congress counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

To show the importance attached to the judgment by Nigerians at home and abroad, and following formal requests from media organisations, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Africa Independent Television (AIT) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria were granted approval to beam the proceedings live.

The acting Chief Registrar, Mr Bode Thomas, said this on Monday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“I agree this is novel, and it is the first time a court sitting will be allowed to be transmitted live to members of the public.

“We approved this because of the importance of this case to our country and our democracy and because we want to show to the world that we are transparent,” he said.

“We also want to give Nigerians the opportunity of lying down in the bosom of their beds and listen to this all-important judgment,” he added.

At the time of the interview, Thomas said that clearance had been given to NTA, AIT, Raypower, Channel Television and FRCN to broadcast the judgment live.

He, however, said that they would not allow the cameramen to zoom-in on the panel members for security purposes.

“The judges are not to be seen, this is one of the reasons for their wigs, besides, the symbol of justice is a blind woman, therefore, their identity will not be made public,” he said.

The court of appeal members also on Monday went into full preparation for the judgment.

When the Nigerian Tribune visited the court on Monday, the courtroom was locked ahead of today’s judgment, with the staff of the court going about their normal duties.

Security was also relaxed around the court at the time when the Nigerian Tribune visited.

The metropolis of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was also devoid of any unusual sight, with everybody going about their normal business activities.

General Buhari and Alhaji Abubakar, who had petitioned the tribunal over the conduct of the April 21, 2007 presidential election, have been expressing hope on the tribunal’s judgment.

The duo had challenged the result of the election which saw the emergence of Yar’Adua as president.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has alerted Nigerians to the intelligence report at their disposal recalling that some disgruntled and unscrupulous politicians had concluded plans to mobilise their supporters for massive and violent demonstration.

The Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, in an emergency briefing on Monday evening, said that the police force would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone who attempted to cause any breach of the peace or took the law into their own hands.

He said he had directed all commissioners of police in all the states and FCT to put all their personnel at alert, conduct stop and search and to ensure all entry and exit points into and out of their command were intensively policed to forestall any possible breakdown of law and order.

According to him, all mobile police units in the country had also been put on standby to deal with any person or group of persons who might want to foment trouble.

He advised all Nigerian to go about their lawful business as everything had been put in place to ensure their safety and security.