Get Guardian on Google..375 justices for 2027 election tribunals
… Amupitan warns of AI-generated evidence, deepfakes
…Fagbemi seeks multiple election tribunal panels to beat deadlines
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned lawyers against filing multiple suits on the same subject matter, seeking conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction and using ex parte applications to secure tactical advantages in election disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
She warned that such practices could undermine the administration of justice and turn the courts into instruments of political contest, urging legal practitioners to uphold professional ethics and respect judicial processes.
The CJN gave the warning on Monday in Abuja while addressing judges nominated to serve on the 2027 Election Petition Tribunals during their swearing-in ceremony and a capacity-building workshop organised by the Court of Appeal.
She said the Judiciary must be adequately prepared to handle election disputes fairly, competently and within the strict timelines prescribed by the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
With the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections fixed for February 6, she said public confidence in the electoral process would depend partly on the ability of the courts to resolve disputes without undue delay.
Kekere-Ekun cautioned judges against allowing political interests, public opinion or pressure from influential individuals to influence their decisions, stressing that election petitions must be determined strictly based on pleadings, evidence and applicable laws.
According to her, the popularity of a candidate, intensity of public opinion or influence of political interests cannot substitute for legal proof.
She said: “The courtroom must not become an extension of the political arena. Disputes must be resolved based on the pleadings, evidence and applicable law.”
The CJN reminded the judges that their judicial oath was a solemn commitment to administer justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will, adding that election adjudication required courage, patience, professional discipline and impartiality.
She also warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against intimidating judicial officers or taking actions capable of undermining confidence in the adjudicatory process.
The CJN expressed concern over public pronouncements on pending cases, particularly by persons in positions of influence, saying such comments could create unnecessary tension and undermine public confidence in the administration of justice.
She extended the warning to social media users and media organisations, urging them to exercise caution in circulating information about pending election disputes.
While acknowledging the right of citizens to express opinions and criticise judicial decisions, she said misinformation, intimidation and attempts to prejudice pending proceedings had no place in a society governed by the rule of law.
On the need to balance speed with fairness, Kekere-Ekun said the strict constitutional and statutory timelines for election petitions required efficient case management, proper preparation, focused hearings and timely delivery of well-reasoned judgments.
She, however, warned that the urgency of election cases must not become an excuse for compromising the right of any party to a fair hearing.
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 the nominees were returning members with previous tribunal experience, while 237 were newly nominated.
Dongban-Mensem said the selection followed consultations with heads of courts and the Nigerian Bar Association, based on professional competence, integrity, judicial temperament and experience.
She charged the judges to resist political pressure, inducement, intimidation and personal relationships capable of compromising their independence.
The Court of Appeal president also urged tribunal members to discourage unnecessary adjournments, warning that procedural indulgence must not frustrate timely adjudication.
She said the court had introduced a centralised Case Management System to facilitate the scanning, uploading, storage and accessibility of judicial decisions, as well as monitor case performance across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to her, an electronic filing portal has also been introduced to facilitate the filing and service of court processes, reduce administrative burdens and improve transparency.
She said the Court of Appeal had also produced the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual, 2026, incorporating amendments under the Electoral Act 2026 and the Election Judicial Proceedings Practice Directions, 2026.
In his address, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, warned that the 2027 election tribunals would face increasingly complex disputes arising from electronic transmission of results, voter accreditation, digital records and the use of artificial intelligence.
He said the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) had introduced new evidential questions that would require judges to develop a sound understanding of electoral technology.
Amupitan said disputes could arise over the authenticity, admissibility and probative value of electronic records, as well as their relationship with physical result sheets.
He cautioned that technology should neither be treated as infallible nor dismissed simply because evidence was generated electronically.
The INEC chairman also identified artificial intelligence-generated audio recordings, deepfake videos and fabricated election declarations as emerging threats capable of misleading voters and complicating election litigation.
He warned that fabricated digital materials could be presented before tribunals as evidence of electoral malpractice, while genuine recordings could equally be dismissed as artificial intelligence-generated content.
Describing the latter as the “Liar’s Dividend”, he urged tribunals to pay particular attention to digital provenance, forensic chain of custody and certified records obtained directly from INEC when assessing electronic evidence.
Amupitan said the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 60(3), which addresses electronic transmission of polling-unit results and the legal implications of communication failures, could feature prominently in election petitions.
He added that INEC had issued the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2026, providing operational procedures for accreditation, electronic transmission, uploading of results and reconciliation of electronic records with physical result sheets.
The chairman said the commission remained committed to conducting credible and transparent elections, while respecting the constitutional independence of the Judiciary in resolving disputes.
Also speaking, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, called for additional election tribunal panels in jurisdictions expected to receive high volumes of petitions.
He said the volume of election disputes varied across jurisdictions and that multiple panels in areas with particularly high numbers of petitions could improve efficiency and help tribunals meet constitutional deadlines.
Fagbemi also urged the Court of Appeal to exercise care in selecting registrars for the tribunals, noting that their administrative competence and experience were critical to the effective handling of election petitions.
He further called on the Nigerian Bar Association to develop ethical guidelines or a code of conduct for lawyers involved in election-related litigation.
The Attorney-General said the guidelines should promote professionalism, restraint and respect for judicial processes while discouraging conduct capable of undermining public confidence in electoral justice.
He also highlighted major provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, including mandatory digital membership registers for political parties, restrictions on judicial intervention in internal party affairs, the abolition of indirect primaries and increased campaign expenditure limits.
Other provisions he identified included mandatory deployment of BVAS and restrictions on the grounds for challenging election results.
Fagbemi said the impact of the new legislation would depend largely on effective enforcement by INEC, compliance by political parties and judicial interpretation.
He urged the judges to approach their assignments with courage and impartiality, noting that the consequences of erroneous election judgments could remain unresolved for another four years.
The three-day workshop, themed Election Tribunal as a Tool for Political Stability, also featured the formal presentation of the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual by the CJN.
The manual is intended to provide judicial officers with updated constitutional provisions, electoral legislation, practice directions, and judicial decisions relevant to the determination of election petitions.
