Election Tribunals For 2027 Get 375 Special Judges Sworn In, As INEC Chairman Warns Them Of Digital Deceptions
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has officially sworn in 375 judges specially designated for the election petition tribunals as the Judiciary makes preparations for the 2027 general polls.
This is even as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, called on the election petition tribunal judges to strengthen their capacity to identify and evaluate digitally-manipulated evidence because malicious actors could exploit emerging technologies to disrupt elections, mislead voters and undermine public confidence in electoral outcomes.
Their inauguration ceremony took place on Monday at the Body of Benchers Auditorium in Abuja, coinciding with the launch of the second edition of the Judicial Electoral Manual and a specialised capacity-building workshop for judicial officers.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun charged the newly sworn-in judges to strictly uphold judicial independence, resist political pressure, and administer justice without fear or favor.
Addressing the tribunal members, Justice Kekere-Ekun underscored the necessity of adhering to constitutional mandates, judicial ethics, and the rule of law.
She issued a stern warning to political parties, legal practitioners, media organisations, and the general public against unethical behavior aimed at undermining the judicial process.
The CJN specifically cautioned against abusing ex parte applications and running coordinated online campaigns intended to influence pending litigations or intimidate judicial officers. She emphasised that all election petition disputes must be adjudicated strictly on the weight of evidence and applicable legislation rather than public sentiment or political influence, reminding the judges of the critical need for efficient case management within strict statutory timelines.
President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, provided details on the composition of the tribunal panels, revealing that the 375 judicial officers comprised 138 judges with prior election tribunal experience alongside 237 newly-nominated members drawn from judicial institutions nationwide.
Justice Dongban-Mensem stressed that a credible electoral cycle depended heavily on impartial, effective, and timely mechanisms for resolving disputes, urging the judges to remain mindful of intense public scrutiny.
He spoke on Monday in Abuja while delivering the opening address at a three-day workshop for Justices of the Court of Appeal and members of the Election Petition Tribunals, organised ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on the theme, “Election Tribunal as a Tool for Political Stability,” Amupitan identified artificial intelligence-generated audio messages impersonating election officials, fabricated videos of candidates and cloned declarations of election results as potential threats that could trigger confusion and civil unrest during the electoral process.
He said some actors might circulate fake directives claiming that polling units had been relocated or cancelled in particular areas to discourage voter turnout.
He also warned that deepfake videos and audio recordings could be released shortly before elections, particularly during statutory campaign blackout periods, to falsely portray candidates or electoral officials as making fraudulent admissions.
According to him, fabricated videos of returning officers announcing false election results in contested constituencies could also be deployed to provoke unrest before the completion of official collation.
On the judicial implications of these threats, Amupitan said election tribunals would increasingly encounter cases involving fabricated digital evidence, as well as legitimate recordings wrongly dismissed as artificial intelligence-generated content.
He called for the rigorous application of the provisions of Section 84 of the Evidence Act on electronic evidence, stressing the importance of establishing digital provenance, forensic chain of custody, and authentication of records obtained from INEC.
The Chairman said reliance on certified electoral data and credible forensic processes would be essential to prevent manipulated digital materials from misleading the courts.
Amupitan described the Judiciary as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s democratic stability, noting that while INEC is responsible for conducting elections, the courts provide the constitutional platform for resolving disputes arising from the electoral process.
He said the credibility of elections should not be measured solely by voting procedures and the declaration of results, but also by public confidence in the fairness, independence and effectiveness of the judicial process for resolving electoral grievances.
According to him, election tribunals serve as constitutional mechanisms for addressing political disagreements peacefully, holding electoral institutions accountable and preventing disputes from degenerating into violence.
He cited Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Section 134(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 as part of the legal framework for channelling electoral disputes through judicial processes.
The INEC Chairman, however, cautioned that delays, inconsistent decisions and excessive technicalities in the adjudication of election petitions could undermine public confidence and threaten political stability.
He also called for consistent judicial interpretation of electoral laws, particularly on substantial compliance, burden and standard of proof, candidate nomination and the consequences of proven electoral non-compliance.
Of particular importance, he noted, was Section 60(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which addresses electronic transmission of polling-unit results and the legal implications of communication failures.
He said the new regulations and guidelines also provide for the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission and uploading of polling-unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), as well as the reconciliation of electronic records with physical result sheets during collation.
Amupitan acknowledged that the increasing use of technology in elections had introduced new legal questions concerning the authenticity, admissibility and evidential value of electronic records.
He maintained that technological systems should neither be regarded as infallible nor dismissed simply because the evidence they generate is electronic. He also assured that the Commission would maintain reliable documentation, preserve electoral materials and facilitate lawful access to relevant records and explanations through appropriate judicial processes.
He emphasised that engagement between INEC and the Judiciary must respect constitutional boundaries and should not be used to influence judicial decisions or discuss the merits of pending cases.
Amupitan said the workshop was expected to deepen participants’ understanding of the Electoral Act 2026, electronic evidence, the relationship between BVAS, IReV and physical result sheets, jurisdictional boundaries between pre-election and post-election disputes, and the application of statutory timelines without compromising the right to fair-hearing.
