The House of Representatives is working on a constitutional amendment that would designate the Court of Appeal as the final authority in governorship election petitions, removing the Supreme Court from the process.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Rep. Bayo Balogun, Chairman of the House Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said the bill aims to streamline the electoral litigation process and ensure quicker resolution of post-election disputes.
“One advantage of this proposal is that it allows a better distribution of caseloads,” Balogun explained. “While the tribunals handle state and National Assembly matters, the Court of Appeal would manage presidential and governorship petitions. This creates a staggered progression of cases to higher courts.”
The proposed changes also aim to shorten the election petition timeline. Under the plan:
Tribunal proceedings would be concluded in 90 days.
Appeals would be finalized within 50 days.
21 days would be allowed to file a petition, and 14 days for filing an appeal.
Altogether, the litigation timeline would be capped at 185 days. To accommodate this, Balogun said elections would need to be held earlier than February, ensuring all legal processes conclude before a governor’s swearing-in.
Currently, governorship election disputes can be escalated from the Tribunal to the Court of Appeal and finally to the Supreme Court. The new bill proposes to eliminate the third tier, making the Court of Appeal the final stop.
The legislation, titled A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Make the Court of Appeal the Final Appeal Court in Governorship, National and State Houses of Assembly Election, is sponsored by Rep. Nnamdi Ezechi (Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani Constituency).
If passed, the amendment would align governorship election petitions with the current structure for National and State Assembly elections, which already end at the Court of Appeal.
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