The Court of Appeal has inaugurated 375 judges to handle election petitions and other disputes that may arise from the 2027 general election, as the judiciary begins preparations for the resolution of post-election litigations.
The judges were inaugurated on Monday at the Body of Benchers Complex in on Monday in Abuja, with the court’s president, Monica Dongban-Mensem, warning that the credibility of the electoral process would depend partly on the fairness, independence and speed with which the courts determine disputes arising from the elections.
The inauguration brings together 138 judges who have previously served on election petition tribunals and 237 newly nominated judges drawn from different courts and judicial institutions across the country.
Dongban-Mensem described the exercise as part of the judiciary’s institutional preparations for its constitutional responsibility in safeguarding the electoral process, noting that the courts play an important role in protecting electoral mandates and sustaining public confidence in democratic institutions.
She said the judiciary’s responsibility extended beyond determining disputes between political parties and candidates to ensuring that the will of the electorate was protected through impartial adjudication.
“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.
The Court of Appeal president urged the judges to maintain the highest standards of judicial conduct, warning that their decisions and personal conduct would attract considerable public scrutiny, particularly given the political sensitivities surrounding election disputes.
She cautioned that any conduct capable of undermining public confidence in the judiciary could weaken the institution’s credibility at a time when electoral litigations are likely to attract intense public attention.
The appointment of the judges is backed by Section 285(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides for the establishment of election tribunals to determine disputes arising from National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and governorship elections.
The provisions also establish the constitutional framework for the adjudication of election petitions, with the president of the Court of Appeal responsible for constituting the relevant tribunals.
Similarly, Section 134(3)(a) and (b) of the Electoral Act, 2026, provides timelines governing the constitution of election petition tribunals and the opening of their registries.
The inauguration therefore marks an early stage in the judiciary’s preparations for handling the legal challenges that may follow the 2027 polls, with the conduct of the judges and their ability to deliver timely decisions expected to remain central to public confidence in the electoral process.
Related News
Source: