ELECTIONS MUST BE DECIDED AT POLLS, NOT COURTS — ONAIYEKAN, OSIGWE

Cardinal John Onaiyekan and former Nigerian Bar Association President, Afam Osigwe, have called for reforms to Nigeria’s electoral system, stressing that elections should be decided by voters at the polling booths rather than through prolonged court battles.

The two legal and public figures spoke at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, where concerns were raised over the increasing role of the judiciary in determining the outcome of elections in Nigeria.

Onaiyekan said the judiciary should serve as the final stage for resolving electoral disputes rather than becoming the institution through which electoral victories are effectively determined. He argued that properly conducted elections should reduce the need for prolonged litigation.

The former NBA president, Afam Osigwe, also expressed concern about the high number of election petitions in Nigeria. He said the growing involvement of the courts in electoral contests had raised questions about whether elections were ultimately being determined by voters or through litigation.

Osigwe called for greater clarity in the use of technological evidence, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, during election petitions. He argued that technology introduced to improve transparency should not make it unnecessarily difficult for candidates to establish legitimate electoral complaints.

Onaiyekan proposed several reforms, including the creation of specialised election tribunals that would conclude cases within a defined period and, where possible, resolve electoral disputes before elected officials are sworn into office. He also called for reforms to strengthen the independence of the electoral commission and improve public confidence in the electoral process.

The discussions come as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, with the Nigerian Guild of Editors also warning about the growing threat of AI-generated misinformation. Speakers at the conference stressed the importance of credible elections, independent institutions, responsible journalism and public trust in ensuring that Nigerians’ votes accurately determine their elected representatives