Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun,
has sworn in the newly nominated members of the Election Petition Tribunals for
the 2027 general elections, in a move aimed at safeguarding the integrity of
Nigeria's democratic process.
The ceremony took place at the Body of Benchers
Auditorium in Abuja and coincided with the launch of the second edition of the
Judicial Electoral Manual and a specialised capacity-building workshop. The CJN
charged the judicial officers to adhere strictly to their oaths, withstand
external political pressure and dispense justice without fear or favour as the
country prepares for another major electoral cycle.
Justice Kekere-Ekun confirmed that the Presidential
and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, followed by
the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027.
She told the tribunal judges that statutory and constitutional timelines leave
no room for trial delays or lax case management.
She also called on legal practitioners, political
parties, media organisations and the public to desist from unethical tactics,
abuse of ex parte applications, and online campaigns aimed at prejudging cases
or intimidating judicial officers. She noted that while the electoral
commission, security agencies and the Bar must carry out their statutory duties
conscientiously, the Judiciary's sole duty is to resolve disputes strictly
according to law and evidence.
Speaking at the three-day workshop for justices and
tribunal members in Abuja, INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, who was in
attendance, said the commission's operational readiness depends on
collaboration between electoral management and judicial adjudication. He
described election petition tribunals as the ultimate constitutional safety
valves needed to ease political tension and secure public trust under the rule
of law.
Amupitan said that while systems such as the Bimodal
Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV)
continue to enhance transparency, the judiciary must now also deal with
sophisticated digital challenges, including AI-generated deepfakes, to protect
the electoral process from misinformation.
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