The swearing-in of judges appointed to handle election petitions arising from Nigeria’s 2027 general elections has sparked reactions on social media, with several Nigerians declaring that they would not resort to the courts to challenge electoral outcomes.

Some commenters suggested that political disputes would be settled at polling units, while others made statements warning of possible confrontations if the election results were disputed.

The reactions followed the swearing-in of members of the 2027 Election Petition Tribunals by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, in Abuja.

Ejes Gist News reports that the ceremony took place at the Body of Benchers Auditorium, where the CJN charged the newly appointed judges to resist political interference and determine electoral disputes strictly according to the law and available evidence.

The event also featured the unveiling of the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual and a specialised capacity-building workshop for judicial officers ahead of the 2027 elections.

Nigerians React to 2027 Election Tribunal Judges

Several social media users responding to the development questioned whether political parties and their supporters would accept the outcome of the 2027 elections through established judicial processes.

One commenter, identified as Lawshal for PeterObi, wrote: “Election will be won on the field. No more going to court.”

Another user, OLUWATIMILEHIN, expressed a similar position, writing: “We no dey go court madam! We’re running everything on the street.”

A third commenter, identified as Elu Goodnews, wrote: “I wish nobody goes to court after elections in Nigeria.”

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Another user, Mr Molotov, made a statement suggesting that electoral disputes should be settled at polling units rather than through litigation.

“WE NO DEY GO COURT…. WE SETTLE IT AT THE POLLING UNIT… IF E GO BURN, MAKE E BURN,” the commenter wrote.

Similarly, a user identified as Tumes stated: “Don’t waste your resources nobody is going to court.”

Another commenter, ifeanyi paddy, wrote: “Nobody is going to court with A PC this time around. Na rig and die.”

The comments reflected concerns and disagreements among the users over the credibility of elections, the judicial resolution of electoral disputes and the possibility of post-election political tensions.

The statements represent the views of individual social media users and do not establish the official positions of political parties or their leadership.

CJN Kekere-Ekun Warns Election Tribunal Judges Against Political Pressure

Speaking at the inauguration, Justice Kekere-Ekun reminded the tribunal judges that their responsibility was to administer justice without fear, favour, affection or ill will.

She warned against allowing political interests, public opinion or pressure from influential individuals to influence decisions on election petitions.

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The CJN stressed that electoral disputes must be determined based on pleadings, evidence and applicable laws, noting that the popularity of a candidate or the intensity of public opinion cannot replace legal proof.

She also cautioned lawyers against filing multiple suits on the same subject matter, seeking conflicting court orders and abusing ex parte applications to gain tactical advantages in political disputes.

The Chief Justice further warned political parties, candidates, supporters, media organisations and social media users against campaigns capable of prejudging pending cases or intimidating judicial officers.

She emphasised that the Judiciary must remain independent and focused on resolving disputes through constitutional and statutory procedures.

375 Judges Selected for 2027 Election Petition Tribunals

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 Nigeria.

According to her, 138 of the nominees had previously served on election tribunals, while 237 were joining the tribunals for the first time.

She said the selection process considered professional competence, integrity, judicial temperament and experience.

The Court of Appeal also introduced measures aimed at improving the management of election petition cases, including a centralised Case Management System and an electronic filing portal.

The measures are designed to improve the handling of court documents, facilitate access to judicial records and support the timely determination of election disputes.

INEC Chairman Highlights BVAS, IReV and AI-Generated Deepfakes

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, also addressed the workshop, highlighting the growing importance of technology in election administration and judicial proceedings.

Amupitan identified the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as important components of Nigeria’s electoral process.

However, he warned that technological developments had introduced new challenges for election adjudication, particularly disputes involving electronic records, digital evidence and artificial intelligence-generated content.

He identified AI-generated deepfake videos, fabricated audio recordings and manipulated election materials as potential sources of misinformation that could complicate the resolution of election petitions.

The INEC chairman urged judicial officers to develop a proper understanding of digital evidence, including its authenticity, admissibility, provenance and chain of custody.

He also stressed the importance of examining electronic records alongside relevant physical electoral documents when determining disputes.

2027 General Election Dates

INEC’s published timetable provides for the Presidential and National Assembly elections to hold on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The election petition tribunals will handle disputes arising from the elections in accordance with the constitutional and statutory provisions governing electoral litigation.

The legal framework provides for the adjudication of disputes involving the election and return of candidates, with strict timelines governing the filing, hearing and determination of petitions.