No fewer than 375 judges have been inaugurated by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, to serve on election petition tribunals for the 2027 general elections.
The judges are expected to adjudicate disputes that may arise from the polls, as the judiciary begins preparations for petitions that could be filed by dissatisfied political parties and candidates across the country.
The inauguration took place on Monday at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja, ahead of the general elections.
The exercise is in accordance with Section 285 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which empowers the President of the Court of Appeal to constitute election petition tribunals to determine 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 establishment of the tribunals and the opening of their registries.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dongban-Mensem said the exercise reflected the judiciary’s commitment to constitutional democracy, the rule of law and the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
She described the inauguration as a major institutional step towards preparing the judiciary for the responsibility of resolving disputes arising from the elections.
According to her, the credibility of democracy depends not only on the conduct of elections but also on the availability of impartial, effective and timely mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes.
“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.
Dongban-Mensem added that the judiciary, through fair determination of petitions, safeguards the people’s mandate, upholds constitutional supremacy and sustains public confidence in democratic governance.
She urged the judges to discharge their duties with integrity, fairness and impartiality, warning that their conduct and decisions would attract significant public scrutiny.
The Court of Appeal president disclosed that the 375 judges were nominated from various courts and judicial institutions across the country.
She explained that 138 of them had previously served on election petition tribunals, while 237 were appointed for the first time.
Dongban-Mensem urged both returning and newly appointed tribunal members to remain guided by the law and the responsibility entrusted to them in the post-election dispute resolution process.
