From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
African Parliamentary Advocates and Reform Group (APARG) in collaboration with the Coalition of Parliamentary Advocates and Democracy Consolidation in Nigeria (COPADECON)has called for adequate reportage of National Assembly election petition cases across the country.
The converner of the coalition, Chibuzo Okereke, who made the call, at a press briefing, in Abuja, said there is need to give key attention to developments at the various tribunal hearing petitions arising from the last National Assembly election.
Okereke stated this is because of the importance of the legislature as the bastion of democracy. He explained that as the arm of government that directly represents the citizens, the significance of the parliament cannot be overemphasized.
According to him, “We have once again, observed and are concerned about what again appears to be an untended suppression and low interest of the major media organisations in the proceedings of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals.
“Whereas the various flagship platforms of major media organisations are daily 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 characterised the NAEPT.
“The fourth estate of the realm which is the media, is saddled with the responsibility of setting the agenda, enlightening the public, and obligation of accountability of government to the people has unfortunately not shown the required interest in the coverage of the proceedings of the tribunals. ”
Okereke, who explained that about 50 per cent out of the 469 National Assessment seats are subject of litigations, noting that prominent among them is the Kano Central where the New Nigerian Peoples Party ( NNPP) candidate defected to the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) before the election.
He urged the media to retool the approach to election petition reportage and ensure commensurate attention to the legislative election tribunal in the country.