The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has inaugurated 375 judges to handle election petitions arising from 2027 general elections, with 237 of them serving on election petition tribunals for the first time.
The inauguration comes as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections, with the judiciary positioning itself to handle disputes that may emerge from the electoral process.
The judges were inaugurated on Monday at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja.
Of the 375 judges, 138 have previously served on election petition tribunals, while 237 are new nominees expected to participate in adjudicating disputes arising from the forthcoming elections.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dongban-Mensem warned that the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy would depend not only on the conduct of elections but also on the ability of the judiciary to resolve electoral disputes fairly and promptly.
“The credibility of democracy depends not only on the conduct of elections but also on the existence of impartial, effective and timely mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes,” she said.
She described the inauguration as part of the judiciary’s institutional preparations to safeguard the electoral process.
She stressed that election petition tribunals play a critical role in protecting the people’s mandate and sustaining public confidence in democratic governance.
“Through the fair determination of such disputes, the judiciary safeguards the people’s mandate, upholds constitutional supremacy and sustains public confidence in democratic governance,” she added.
The Appeal Court president also cautioned the newly inaugurated judges against actions capable of undermining public confidence in the judiciary, noting that their conduct would attract considerable public scrutiny.
Under Section 285(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the President of the Court of Appeal is responsible for constituting tribunals to adjudicate disputes arising from national and state Houses of Assembly and governorship elections.
Similarly, Section 134(3)(a) and (b) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides timelines for the constitution of election petition tribunals and the opening of their registries.
(The Whistler)