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…I don’t own any media house-Dattijo
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
At its resumed sitting on Sunday, the senatorial election petition tribunal for Kaduna Central zone took evidences from witnesses presented by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in defence of witnesses earlier presented by the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
However, before the formal presentation of the witnesses, the counsel to Lawal Adamu (LA) of the PDP, Mr. MA Magaji (SAN) drew the attention of the court to alleged media trial embarked upon by the APC candidate, Muhammad Abdullahi (Dattijo) to ridicule court proceedings, saying that court should caution the petitioner against media trial.
However, counsel to Muhammad Abdullahi (Dattijo) of the APC, Mr. Johnson J.Usman (SAN) said the petitioner did not own any media house to engage in media trial, adding that court can only caution the reporter against such report, and not the petitioner.
The 3-man election petition tribunal led by Justice H. H. Kereng, while ruling on the alleged media trial cautioned journalists to avoid misrepresentation when reporting court proceedings, adding that journalists are not deterred from reporting proceedings.
Mr. Magaji told the court that his client was ready to present eight witnesses at the session.
Mr. Magaji also drew the attention of the court to affidavit filed by the Respondent on July 14, 2023 which carried three exhibits marked MAM 1, MAM 2 and MAM 3, saying that the purpose of the exhibits was to correct certain newspaper publications by the petitioner.
“That one Halima was interviewed who said that the Senator stole her school certificate. There was nothing like this in the court records. The record of this noble court contains in cross examination with detailed certification of this noble tribunal.
“The proceeding of this tribunal was maliciously bastardised and misrepresented, calculated to achieve what is called media trial. No more.
“But a caution is enough since there is a record of the proceedings.
“In this era of insecurity, it is not safe for the name of the tribunal to go out to spoil the minds of public. The petitioner should be cautioned.
“The petitioner is denying the record of this court when he pleaded that he will not be prejudice, so he cannot deny the record of this court. The court should caution the petitioner”.
In his presentation, the counsel to
Muhammad Abdullahi of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Johnson J.Usman said, “I am not part of undue publication, and I will never encourage it. In our counter affidavit, the petitioner is not privy to the publication nor own a media house.
“Our concern is that the petitioner shouldn’t be cautioned in court over what they did not authorise. I don’t have the power to know who is a journalist in court. Even as I speak I don’t know who is a journalist here in the court. The court should caution the Journalists and not the petitioner.
“Personally, I can see that the publication has gone beyond this level because I have been receiving anonymous calls, asking if I am the one handling tribunal case of Kaduna Central senatorial zone. It is a risk to me.
“If there is any wrong reportage, court should caution the reporter, and not the petitioner”.
Fielding questions from Reporters shortly after the court session, Mr Magaji said, “The proceedings went well, we continued from stopped at the last sitting. We called witnesses to the court who testified and tendered documents in court to defend that, our client, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman attended.
“All the documents tendered and the ones before the court, have shown that, Lawal Adamu Usman attended those schools.
“Now that the documents are before the court, our expectation is that, the court will peruse through and give a considered judgement”.
Also speaking to Reporters, Mr. Usman said, “We are here to defend our case and establish the facts behind the case”.
One of the witnesses to the respondent, Mohammed Yakubu who was a primary school teacher to Lawal Adamu at Demonstration School told Reporters after the court session that Adamu was an introvert while in school.
“He was my pupil, and he was a quiet boy, you hardly recognise him in the class. He was an introvert”. The former teacher said.
The case was adjourned to Monday, 17th July for defence of the second and third respondents.
