With less than 70 days to the 2027 general elections, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has inaugurated 375 judges to handle election petitions arising from the polls.
The judges were sworn in on Monday at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja, ahead of the anticipated legal battles that may follow the presidential, governorship and legislative elections.
The inauguration is in line with the constitutional responsibility of the President of the Court of Appeal to constitute election petition tribunals for disputes arising from National and State Houses of Assembly elections, as well as governorship polls.
Addressing the gathering, Dongban-Mensem said the exercise was a crucial step towards strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and ensuring that electoral disputes were resolved fairly and within the time prescribed by law.
She noted that the credibility of the electoral process depended not only on how elections were conducted but also on the ability of the judiciary to provide impartial and timely resolution of disputes.
According to her, the judiciary plays a critical role in protecting the mandate of voters, preserving constitutional order and maintaining public confidence in democratic governance.
The Court of Appeal President disclosed that 138 of the 375 judges had previously served on election petition tribunals, while 237 were newly selected for the assignment.
She urged the judges to discharge their responsibilities with integrity and caution, warning that their conduct and decisions would attract intense public attention because of the sensitive nature of election-related cases.
