HURIWA to 375 election judges: Don’t turn courts into victory markets for politicians, 2027 won’t be business as usual

PRESS STATEMENT

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)

HURIWA to 375 election judges: Don’t turn courts into victory markets for politicians, 2027 won’t be business as usual

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a strong warning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the 375 judges inaugurated to handle election petitions ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that Nigerians will no longer accept a democracy in which politicians lose elections at the ballot box but allegedly purchase victories through questionable court judgments.

HURIWA said the 2027 elections must produce winners determined by the votes of citizens, not by the financial war chests of desperate politicians, judicial manipulation or alleged backroom arrangements between litigants and compromised judicial officers.

The association declared that Nigeria cannot continue to operate an electoral system in which the courts are perceived as the final destination for politicians seeking to overturn the choices of voters.

It warned that the 2027 post-election season would be a defining moment for the Nigerian judiciary, adding that judges who compromise their oath of office for financial inducements should expect unprecedented public scrutiny and accountability.

Reacting to the inauguration of 375 judges for election petition tribunals, HURIWA said the judicial officers must understand that they are being entrusted with the future of Nigeria’s democracy and not the political survival of powerful individuals.

The association warned that any judge who converts the courtroom into a marketplace for electoral victories would be betraying the Constitution and undermining the sovereignty of the Nigerian people.

No judge should sell the mandate of Nigerians

HURIWA said it had received disturbing concerns about alleged attempts by some politicians to influence election-related judicial proceedings through financial inducements.

It warned that the days when judicial corruption could be concealed behind complicated legal arguments and controversial judgments must come to an end.

The association said Nigerians and political stakeholders would be far more vigilant in monitoring the conduct of election tribunal judges in 2027.

It stressed that judicial officers must not mistake the constitutional protection of their offices for immunity from public accountability.

HURIWA called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to intensify vigilance around credible allegations of financial inducement, suspicious transactions and attempts to compromise election petition proceedings.

It also urged the Code of Conduct Bureau to strengthen scrutiny of the asset declarations of judges handling election disputes and ensure that relevant information is accessible in accordance with the law.

According to HURIWA, unexplained wealth and suspicious financial dealings involving judicial officers must not be ignored, particularly during a politically sensitive election cycle.

INEC must not export its failures to the courts

HURIWA challenged INEC to ensure that the 2027 elections are so credible that the commission does not leave behind a trail of avoidable controversies, disputed results and endless litigation.

It said the commission must resist political pressure, eliminate operational weaknesses and ensure that results accurately reflect the choices made by voters at polling units.

The association argued that election tribunals should exist to resolve genuine disputes, not routinely determine who governs Nigeria after electoral institutions have failed to protect the people’s mandate.

HURIWA specifically challenged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to demonstrate institutional independence and ensure that the 2027 elections are not remembered as another exercise in which political influence and litigation overshadowed the ballot.

375 judges face a test of public confidence

The warning followed the inauguration of 375 judges on Monday at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja to serve on election petition tribunals ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, disclosed that 138 of the judges were returning members with previous tribunal experience, while 237 were newly nominated.

She said the credibility of democracy depended not only on the conduct of elections but also on impartial, effective and timely mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes.

HURIWA recalled that Section 285(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowers the President of the Court of Appeal to constitute election petition tribunals for disputes arising from National and State Houses of Assembly and governorship elections.

The association also noted that Section 134(3)(a) and (b) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides timelines for constituting the tribunals and opening their registries.

HURIWA said the 375 judges must appreciate that the credibility of their decisions would have consequences far beyond the immediate political fortunes of election contestants.

It warned that Nigeria is approaching a critical democratic test and that no amount of legal sophistication should be used to disguise injustice or legitimise electoral fraud.

The association said the ultimate responsibility of every tribunal judge is to defend the Constitution, uphold the evidence and protect the mandate freely given by the Nigerian people.

HURIWA’s position is clear: Let the people’s votes count. No politician must buy what the people have refused to give, and no judge must sell what the people have decided.

Signed:

Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko National Coordinator Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)

09 November, 2026