The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has sworn in newly nominated members of the Election Petition Tribunals for the 2027 general elections, charging them to uphold judicial independence and dispense justice without fear or favour.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Body of Benchers Auditorium in Abuja, coincided with the launch of the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual and a specialised capacity-building workshop for judicial officers.
Justice Kekere-Ekun urged the tribunal members to remain faithful to their oaths of office, resist political pressure and ensure that electoral disputes are determined strictly in accordance with the law.
She stressed that the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend, in part, on the ability of the Judiciary to discharge its constitutional responsibilities with integrity, impartiality and professionalism.
The CJN recalled that the presidential and National Assembly elections were scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections would hold on February 6, 2027.
She warned that the constitutional and statutory timelines governing the determination of election petitions required judges to avoid unnecessary delays and adopt effective case-management procedures.
The CJN also cautioned lawyers, political parties, media organisations and members of the public against unethical conduct, including the abuse of ex parte applications and online campaigns designed to influence public perception or intimidate judicial officers.
According to her, the responsibility for credible elections is shared among the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, the legal profession and other stakeholders.
However, she maintained that the Judiciary’s responsibility was to resolve electoral disputes strictly on the basis of the law and evidence presented before it.
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has underscored the importance of effective collaboration between electoral administrators and the Judiciary in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
Speaking at the three-day capacity-building workshop for justices and election tribunal members in Abuja, Amupitan described election petition tribunals as critical constitutional mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes, reducing political tensions and sustaining public confidence in the democratic process.
He noted that the credibility of elections depended not only on the conduct of the polls but also on the transparency, fairness and effectiveness of the mechanisms established to address disputes arising from them.
Amupitan also drew attention to emerging technological challenges confronting electoral administration and litigation ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said although technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) had strengthened transparency in the electoral process, they had also introduced new complexities for election adjudication.
Among the emerging challenges, he highlighted the growing threat of artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes and other forms of digital misinformation, stressing the need for judicial officers to develop the capacity to assess technology-related evidence and safeguard the integrity of electoral proceedings.