2027 ELECTIONS: AGF, CJN WARN TRIBUNAL JUDGES AGAINST POLITICAL INTERFERENCE

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, inducement and other forms of external pressure.

They cautioned that compromised judicial decisions in electoral disputes could erode public confidence in the judiciary, undermine the credibility of the electoral process and threaten Nigeria’s democratic stability.

The warning was issued on Monday in Abuja during 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.

Speaking at the event, Fagbemi urged the judicial officers to remain impartial and uphold the rule of law, regardless of political interests, public opinion or pressure from influential individuals and organisations.

He said the strength of the judiciary depended on its ability to deliver lawful and impartial judgments, even when such decisions were unpopular or misunderstood.

The AGF warned that errors in election petition judgments could have far-reaching consequences, noting that some electoral outcomes might take another four years to correct.

He therefore urged the judges to ensure that electoral justice was not influenced by intimidation, financial inducement or considerations outside the law.

Fagbemi also highlighted provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, which he said introduced significant changes that would shape the determination of disputes arising from the 2027 general elections.

He specifically referred to Section 83(5), which addresses the jurisdiction of courts over disputes relating to the internal affairs of political parties, and Section 83(6), which prescribes a minimum cost of N10m against litigants and their lawyers in certain prohibited intra-party proceedings.

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

The Attorney-General also proposed the establishment of multiple panels in jurisdictions expected to receive large numbers of election petitions, particularly disputes arising from legislative elections.

According to him, the arrangement would help tribunals determine cases within constitutionally prescribed timelines without compromising the quality of justice.

In her keynote address, Kekere-Ekun warned lawyers against filing multiple suits and appeals on substantially identical issues, seeking conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction and abusing ex parte applications to gain procedural advantages.

She stressed that courtrooms must not become extensions of political battlefields, adding that election disputes should be determined strictly on the basis of evidence, pleadings and applicable laws.

The CJN said the popularity of candidates, public opinion and political influence must not replace the legal proof required to establish allegations before election tribunals.

She also cautioned politicians, candidates, supporters and public officials against intimidating judicial officers or attempting to influence decisions in pending election cases.

Kekere-Ekun extended the warning to social media users, urging them to avoid circulating unverified allegations, misleading accounts of court proceedings and online campaigns targeting judicial officers.

She said such activities could distort public understanding of judicial proceedings and create the impression that cases were determined by public sentiment rather than evidence and the law.

The CJN, however, noted 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 reminded tribunal members that constitutional and statutory timelines for determining election petitions must be respected while ensuring that parties were given fair hearings.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), described the stability of Nigeria’s electoral process as critical to democracy across Africa.

He noted that Nigeria, as the continent’s largest democracy, remained an important reference point for other African countries.

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