2027 Elections: Judiciary Inaugurates 375 Tribunal Judges, 237 Newly Nominated
The Nigerian judiciary has inaugurated 375 judges to serve on Election Petition Tribunals ahead of the 2027 general elections, with 237 of them newly nominated and 138 returning members with previous tribunal experience.
The judges were inaugurated on Monday at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja as part of preparations for the adjudication of electoral disputes that may arise from the forthcoming elections.
The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, disclosed the composition of the tribunal membership, explaining that the judges were drawn from various courts and judicial institutions across the country.
She described the inauguration as an important step towards protecting Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and ensuring credible mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes.
Dongban-Mensem urged the judges to discharge their responsibilities impartially, warning that their conduct would attract considerable public scrutiny.
The inauguration preceded a three-day workshop for Justices of the Court of Appeal and members of the 2027 Election Petition Tribunals.
Speaking at the workshop, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, stressed the importance of judicial independence and timely determination of election petitions.
She warned judicial officers against political pressure, intimidation and practices capable of undermining public confidence in the judiciary.
The CJN also urged lawyers, political parties, media organisations and members of the public to avoid unethical practices, abuse of ex parte applications and online campaigns intended to prejudge cases or intimidate judicial officers.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, said the 2027 general elections would test not only the commission’s operational preparedness but also the effectiveness of Nigeria’s legal framework for resolving electoral disputes.
Amupitan warned that artificial intelligence and other emerging digital technologies could introduce new challenges into election petition proceedings.
He specifically raised concerns about fabricated video recordings being presented as evidence of electoral malpractice and genuine recordings being dismissed as AI-generated deepfakes.
The INEC chairman urged the tribunals to apply rigorous standards when examining electronic evidence, stressing the importance of digital provenance, forensic chain of custody and certified information obtained directly from the commission.
He maintained that public confidence in elections depended not only on the conduct of voting and declaration of results but also on the ability of the judicial system to resolve disputes independently, fairly and within the law.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also addressed the gathering, highlighting reforms introduced by the Electoral Act 2026.
He said the legislation introduced changes aimed at strengthening electoral transparency, promoting internal party democracy, modernising electoral administration and redefining the framework for resolving electoral disputes.
The event also featured the launch of the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual by the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled to begin with the presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
The Election Petition Tribunals are expected to adjudicate disputes arising from the electoral process in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and applicable electoral laws.
