Group advocates elimination of judicial technicalities in post-election matters

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), yesterday, called for the total elimination of judicial technicalities from post-election matters, saying it is a cog in the wheel of justice in the dispensation of election cases.

It also raised the alarm on possible political violence in the build-up to the November 2025 governorship election in Anambra State, which, according to the group, would rob eligible voters of the opportunity to vote as was the case in 2021.

The group also called for a comprehensive reformation of electoral courts and voting process, making provision for independent candidacy for the presidency, governorship, as well as the state and federal legislative seats.

Board Chairman of the group, Emeka Umeagbalasi, who made the revelations, yesterday, while addressing a press briefing in Enugu, noted that judicial technicalities are responsible for over 80 per cent of judicial subversion of electoral wishes of the Nigerian voting population.

He said: “The standard practices in developed and developing democracies are to fundamentally determine the field winners of the valid majority votes cast from among the total lawful cast votes emanating from polling centres or units through their manual or electronic voting systems.

“Time has also come for general and codified use of electronic and manual voting to be used side-by-side. Citizens must be allowed their sacred choice of using electronic or manual voting in Nigeria or any part thereof.”