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 external pressure.

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

The officials gave the warning on Monday 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.

Mr Fagbemi said the judiciary must uphold the law regardless of political interests, public opinion or pressure from influential individuals and groups.

“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,” he said.

He urged the judges to ensure that electoral justice was not influenced by intimidation, inducement or other considerations capable of compromising the adjudication process.

The AGF warned that the consequences of an erroneous electoral judgment could be far-reaching, noting that some decisions might take another four years to correct.

Electoral Act 2026

Mr Fagbemi said the Electoral Act 2026 introduced significant reforms that would shape the handling of disputes arising from the 2027 general elections.

He specifically highlighted Section 83(5), which excludes the jurisdiction of courts over certain disputes concerning the internal affairs of political parties, and Section 83(6), which prescribes a minimum cost of ₦10m 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 suggested establishing multiple election petition panels in jurisdictions expected to receive high volumes of cases, 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.

CJN warns lawyers, politicians

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

She stressed that election disputes must be decided based on pleadings, evidence and applicable laws, rather than political popularity or public sentiment.

“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,” she said.

The CJN also warned politicians, candidates, supporters and public officials against intimidating judicial officers or attempting to influence the outcome of pending cases.

She extended the warning to social media users, cautioning against circulating unverified allegations and organising online campaigns targeting judges.

While acknowledging that judicial decisions could be criticised, she said misinformation, intimidation and attempts to prejudice pending proceedings had no place in a society governed by the rule of law.

Mrs Kekere-Ekun further reminded tribunal members that constitutional and statutory timelines for election petitions must be respected without undermining the right to fair hearing.

INEC raises concerns over AI-generated evidence

Also speaking at the workshop, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), warned that artificial intelligence-generated content could create fresh challenges for the electoral process and the adjudication of disputes.

He identified AI-generated audio recordings, deepfake videos and cloned voices of election officials as potential tools for misleading voters and triggering unrest ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mr Amupitan urged tribunals to apply rigorous evidentiary standards under Section 84 of the Evidence Act when examining electronic evidence.

He said establishing digital provenance, maintaining a forensic chain of custody and relying on certified data obtained directly from INEC would be essential in preventing fabricated digital evidence from misleading 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 INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026.

375 judges nominated for election tribunals

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 were returning members with previous tribunal experience, while 237 were newly nominated.

Mrs Dongban-Mensem described the appointments as a call to service, warning judges against political pressure, inducement, intimidation and personal relationships that could compromise their independence.

She also cautioned against unnecessary adjournments, stressing the need to balance speedy determination of election petitions with the right to fair hearing.

The Court of Appeal president disclosed that the court had introduced a centralised Case Management System to improve the storage and accessibility of judicial decisions, alongside an electronic filing portal for court processes.

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