The Catholic Bishop Emeritus of Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has voiced his support for the live broadcast of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT). He expressed his concerns about the impact of electoral malpractices on the masses and called for transparency in the proceedings of the tribunal.
Onaiyekan made these remarks during an interview with journalists after the Mass marking the end of the 57th World Communication Week. He emphasized the need for effective communication and called on journalists to give a voice to all groups as they cover the activities leading up to the May 29th handover.
The National Director of Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Michael Umoh, also spoke at the event. He stated that the Church considers communication to be an extension of the mission of Christ and emphasized the importance of effective communication.
In his remarks, Cardinal Onaiyekan urged the judges of the PEPT to dispense judgment fairly and ensure that the processes are transparent. He expressed his belief that Nigerians should be allowed to follow what happens at the tribunal, stressing that transparency in the proceedings would help to restore public confidence in the judiciary.
He also highlighted the fact that the impact of rigged elections is felt most keenly by the masses. Onaiyekan believes that if voters are denied the opportunity to make their case in court, they should at least be allowed to see what is happening in the tribunal so that they can remain informed.
According to Onaiyekan, the judiciary must take steps to ensure that justice is done. He called on the Honourable Justices to find a way to allow live broadcast of the tribunal’s proceedings, despite the fact that this has not been done before.
He also expressed his hope that the judges would ensure that the proceedings are transparent, stating that this would help to calm nerves and assure Nigerians that the right thing has been done. Onaiyekan concluded by urging the judiciary to take bold steps and embrace new ideas to improve the electoral process in Nigeria.
