2027: AGF, CJN warn judges against political pressure

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, have warned judges appointed to serve on the 2027 Election Petition Tribunals against political interference, intimidation and other forms of external pressure.

They cautioned that compromised or erroneous electoral judgments could undermine public confidence in the judiciary and threaten Nigeria’s democratic stability.

Fagbemi, who spoke at the opening of a three-day induction workshop for judges and justices of the Court of Appeal and members of the 2027 Election Petition Tribunals in Abuja on Monday, said the consequences of erroneous judicial decisions could be far-reaching.

“The true strength of the judiciary lies in its ability to uphold what is lawful and just, even when doing so is unpopular or inconvenient or may be misinterpreted.

“I therefore urge your Lordships to consciously ensure that electoral justice is not subjected to any form of intimidation or inducement or extraneous considerations capable of compromising the integrity of the adjudicatory process.

“The consequences of any erroneous decision are unquantifiable and may take another four years to correct. It is therefore imperative that justice must be seen to have been manifestly done,” he said.

The AGF urged the judges to discharge their responsibilities without yielding to political interests, public sentiment, media scrutiny or pressure from influential individuals and groups.

He noted that the Electoral Act 2026 had introduced far-reaching reforms that would significantly shape the adjudication of disputes arising from the 2027 general elections.

Fagbemi added that Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act 2026 purportedly excluded the jurisdiction of courts over disputes concerning the internal affairs of political parties, while Section 83(6) prescribed a minimum cost of N10m each against litigants and their lawyers in certain prohibited intra-party proceedings.

He said the provisions would require careful judicial interpretation and effective enforcement.

The AGF also called for the consideration of multiple panels in jurisdictions expected to record high volumes of election petitions, particularly disputes arising from legislative elections.

He said the arrangement would help ensure that cases were determined within the constitutionally prescribed timelines without compromising the quality of adjudication.

“The volume of election petitions varies considerably from one jurisdiction to another. It is therefore worth considering the establishment of multiple panels in jurisdictions with particularly high volumes of petitions to ensure that cases are handled expeditiously without compromising the quality of adjudication,” the AGF stated.

In her keynote address, Justice Kekere-Ekun cautioned lawyers against filing multiple suits and appeals on substantially identical issues, pursuing conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction, and using ex parte applications to secure tactical advantages.

She said the courtroom must not become an extension of the political arena, stressing that electoral disputes must be resolved strictly on the basis of pleadings, evidence and applicable laws.

“The popularity or otherwise of a candidate, the intensity of public opinion or the influence of a political interest cannot be substitutes for legal proof.

“Counsel must resist the temptation to turn the judicial process into another instrument of political contest. The duty of a legal practitioner is not merely to advance the interests of a client, but to do so within the bounds of professional ethics and respect for the administration of justice,” the CJN said.

She also warned politicians, candidates and their supporters against intimidating judicial officers or attempting to influence the outcome of pending cases.

The CJN extended the warning to public officials and social media users, urging restraint in commenting on pending election disputes.

She said, “The circulation of unverified allegations, selective accounts of court proceedings and online campaigns directed at judicial officers can distort public understanding and encourage the perception that cases are to be determined by public sentiment rather than by the evidence and the law.”

Kekere-Ekun stressed that while criticism of judicial decisions was legitimate, misinformation, intimidation and attempts to prejudice pending proceedings had no place in a society governed by the rule of law.

She also reminded the tribunal members that the strict constitutional and statutory timelines governing election petitions must be observed without compromising the right of parties to a fair hearing.

The CJN said the responsibility for credible elections was shared among the judiciary, the Independent National Electoral Commission, political parties, security agencies and the legal profession.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), stressed the importance of stability in Nigeria’s electoral process, noting that other countries looked up to Nigeria for guidance.

“Let me emphasize, my Lords, that the stability of our electoral process, and as a matter of fact, of Nigeria, is very, very important for the continent of Africa.

“Because Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa, and so, so many countries look up to Nigeria for guidance… It is so important that we see our role as a tool of political stability, not just in Nigeria, but in the continent of Africa,” he said.

Amupitan warned that the increasing use of artificial intelligence to manipulate information presented fresh challenges to the electoral process and the adjudication of election disputes.

He identified AI-generated audio recordings, deepfake videos and cloned election officials’ voices as emerging threats that could be deployed to mislead voters and trigger unrest during the 2027 general elections.

According to him, tribunals must apply rigorous evidentiary standards under Section 84 of the Evidence Act in examining electronic evidence.

He said, “Demonstrating digital provenance, forensic chain of custody, and reliance on certified data directly from INEC will be vital to prevent synthetic digital fabrications from misleading the courts.”

The INEC chairman also identified disputes involving electronic transmission of results, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Result Viewing Portal, party primaries and candidate nominations as issues likely to feature prominently in election petitions.

He urged judicial officers to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026 and the commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026.

Earlier, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, disclosed that 375 judicial officers had been nominated to serve on the 2027 Election Petition Tribunals across the country.

She said 138 of them were returning members with previous tribunal experience, while 237 were newly nominated.

Dongban-Mensem urged the judges to regard their appointments as a call to service rather than a privilege, warning them against political pressure, inducement, intimidation and personal relationships capable of compromising their independence.

She said, “Your appointment is a call to service, not privilege; a commitment to uphold the law, not an opportunity for personal or political accommodation.”

The Court of Appeal president also warned against unnecessary adjournments, urging tribunal members to balance speedy determination of petitions with the fundamental right to fair hearing.

“In particular, unnecessary adjournments must be discouraged. Applications for adjournment should be considered judiciously, having regard to the circumstances of each case, the interests of justice and the applicable statutory timelines.

“Expedition must never undermine fairness, just as procedural indulgence must not frustrate timely adjudication. The objective is to achieve a proper balance between substantial justice, procedural discipline and the constitutional imperative of expeditious determination,” she said.

She disclosed that the court had introduced a centralised Case Management System to facilitate the scanning, uploading, storage and accessibility of judicial decisions, as well as an electronic filing portal for filing and service of court processes.

Dongban-Mensem said the initiatives were designed to improve efficiency, transparency and promptness in the handling of election petitions.

She also announced the production of the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual 2026, which incorporates amendments introduced by the Electoral Act 2026 and the Election Judicial Proceedings Practice Directions 2026.

The manual was formally unveiled by the CJN at the ceremony.

The three-day workshop, themed “Election Tribunal as a Tool for Political Stability,” was organised ahead of the 2027 general elections to prepare judicial officers for the adjudication of electoral disputes.