2027 Election: Chief Justice urges Judges to be vigilant, cautious in handling political cases

As the nation approaches another election season, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has urged judges, particularly heads of courts, to be vigilant against practices that undermine the integrity of judicial proceedings.

Justice Kekere-Ekun identified such practices to include forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts to obtain conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

She spoke during the opening session of the 2026 roundtable for heads of courts, in Abuja.

The CJN said the issues require particular attention as the country approaches another election season, noting that election-related disputes often attract intense public interest and considerable pressure on the courts.

She added: “The Judiciary must be prepared to discharge its constitutional responsibilities with impartiality, courage and fidelity to the law.

“Political sensitivity, public sentiment or the urgency with which a matter is presented must never displace the careful application of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the applicable rules of court.

“Judicial officers must be reminded of the need to scrutinise applications carefully, insist on full and frank disclosure of relevant facts, pay due regard to related proceedings and resist any attempt to use urgent applications or ex-parte orders to secure an improper advantage.

“The integrity of judicial proceedings must not be compromised by competing political interests or pressure from any quarter.

“Forum shopping is particularly damaging because it undermines consistency, encourages abuse of process and exposes the Judiciary to avoidable public controversy.

“Your lordships must therefore ensure that existing procedural safeguards are observed and that appropriate steps are taken whenever attempts to circumvent established judicial processes come to light.

“No litigant should be permitted to manipulate the judicial system in search of a favourable decision. Public confidence in the Judiciary will be tested during this period,” she said.

The CJN reminded the heads of courts that they are expected to provide the leadership necessary to ensure that election-related cases are handled competently, expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law.

She said the objective is to ensure that the courts remain impartial arbiters of disputes, free from political influence and guided solely by the facts, the applicable law and the demands of justice.

Justice Kekere-Ekun spoke about the need for judges to always ensure prompt determination of cases, noting that the timely determination of cases remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting the Judiciary.

She said delay imposes financial and emotional burdens on litigants, diminishes the practical value of judicial remedies and weakens public confidence in the justice system.

The CJN added: “While some causes of delay arise from inadequate funding, infrastructure and judicial manpower, others can be addressed through effective administration.

“Inefficient docket management, repeated adjournments, poor scheduling and failure to monitor inactive cases can prolong proceedings unnecessarily.”

Credit: channelstv.com

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