Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has inaugurated 375 judges selected to serve on Election Petition Tribunals ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This was just as she charged them to resist political interference and uphold the rule of law in determining electoral disputes.
The judges were sworn in on Monday at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja, during an event that also featured the launch of the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual and a specialised capacity-building workshop for judicial officers.
Kekere-Ekun urged the tribunal members to discharge their responsibilities with impartiality, integrity and strict adherence to constitutional provisions, warning that political pressure must not influence their decisions.
She stressed that the statutory timelines governing election petition cases required judges to demonstrate efficiency in case management and avoid unnecessary delays in proceedings.
The CJN also cautioned lawyers, political parties, media organisations and members of the public against unethical practices, including the abuse of ex parte applications and online campaigns designed to influence pending cases or intimidate judicial officers.
She maintained that while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and legal practitioners had specific responsibilities in ensuring credible elections, the Judiciary must remain committed to resolving disputes based strictly on the law and available evidence.
The inauguration comes 68 days before the scheduled commencement of the 2027 general elections. Presidential and National Assembly elections are slated for January 16, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Speaking at the ceremony, President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, described the inauguration as an important institutional preparation for the judicial responsibilities that would follow the elections.
She said the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process depended not only on the conduct of elections but also on the availability of impartial and efficient mechanisms for resolving disputes arising from them.
“This gathering is more than a ceremonial event; it is an important institutional preparation for one of the most consequential responsibilities entrusted to the judiciary.
“The credibility of democracy depends not only on the conduct of elections but also on the existence of impartial, effective, and timely mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes.
“Through the fair determination of such disputes, the Judiciary safeguards the people’s mandate, upholds constitutional supremacy and sustains public confidence in democratic governance,” she said.
Dongban-Mensem further reminded the judges that their conduct and decisions would attract considerable public scrutiny.
She disclosed that the 375 judicial officers were drawn from different courts and judicial institutions across the country, with 138 having previously served on election tribunals and 237 appointed for the first time.
The legal framework for the tribunals is provided under Section 285(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides for the establishment of tribunals to determine disputes arising from National and State Houses of Assembly elections, as well as governorship elections.
Similarly, Section 134(3)(a) and (b) of the Electoral Act, 2026, outlines provisions relating to the constitution of the tribunals and the opening of their registries.
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, stressed the importance of cooperation between the electoral body and the Judiciary in ensuring credible elections and resolving disputes that may arise from the process.
Speaking at the three-day workshop for justices and tribunal members in Abuja, Amupitan described election petition tribunals as critical constitutional institutions for managing post-election disagreements and sustaining public confidence in democratic governance.
He also drew attention to emerging challenges in electoral litigation, particularly the growing influence of digital technology and misinformation.
While acknowledging the role of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in promoting transparency, the INEC chairman said judicial officers must be prepared to address emerging digital threats, including artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, which could complicate the adjudication of election disputes.