The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, on Monday inaugurated 375 judges to sit on election petition tribunals ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Of the number, 138 have served on such tribunals before, while 237 are new nominees who will handle election disputes for the first time.
The ceremony held at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja as preparations for the 2027 polls gather pace.
Dongban-Mensem said the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy rests not only on how elections are conducted, but also on whether there are impartial, effective and timely means of resolving the disputes that follow.
“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, adding that tribunals play a critical role in protecting the people’s mandate and sustaining public confidence in democratic governance.
The Appeal Court president also warned the new appointees against conduct that could erode public trust in the judiciary, stressing that their actions would be closely watched by the public.
Under Section 285(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President of the Court of Appeal is empowered to constitute tribunals for disputes arising from National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly and governorship elections.
Section 134(3)(a) and (b) of the Electoral Act 2026 also sets timelines for constituting the tribunals and opening their registries.
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