Prominent legal and church figures urge Nigeria to ensure the country’s 2027 elections are decided at polling stations rather than through court processes. They make the case at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Enugu, where speakers say the growing role of the judiciary in electoral outcomes is drawing intense scrutiny.
Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, along with former Nigerian Bar Association President Afam Osigwe (SAN), and other participants call for electoral reforms. Their argument centers on strengthening democratic legitimacy by reducing reliance on prolonged litigation that can ultimately determine winners after elections are held.
Both outlets describe the same event and the same core message: electoral disputes and the outcome of elections should be resolved through the electoral process itself, with courts playing a more limited and supportive role. The reports focus on the speakers’ warnings that when courts become the main arena for final electoral victories, democracy can be weakened.
