The Akure branch of the Nigerian Bar Association has thrown its weight behind the growing national demand for all election disputes to be concluded before winners announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission are inaugurated.
The position was contained in a communiqué issued on Sunday by the branch chairman, Barrister Onimisi Umar, following the 2025 Law Week held between November 9 and 14 in honour of former Ondo North lawmaker, Senator Bode Olajumoke.
The event focused on the theme, “Nigeria: Quest for a Utilitarian Judiciary and Role for Stakeholders.”
According to the communiqué, the branch endorsed the National Assembly’s ongoing constitutional review seeking to shorten the timeframe for election litigation.
The proposal aims to reduce the 180-day period for tribunal judgments to 90 days, with an accelerated appeal process up to the Supreme Court.
The NBA argued that resolving disputes before inauguration would protect electoral integrity and prevent situations where candidates occupy office while their mandates remain legally contested.
It also urged lawmakers to simplify the Electoral Act to eliminate legal ambiguities that politicians often exploit.
However, the association cautioned against placing excessive burdens on the judiciary by flooding courts with election-related cases, noting that such overload could slow down regular judicial activities.
It called for a balanced approach that ensures the executive and legislature uphold electoral standards while not undermining the courts.
The communiqué further criticised the judiciary’s continued financial dependence on the executive, describing it as a major obstacle to full judicial independence.
It alleged that between 60 and 70 per cent of judiciary allocations are routinely withheld by the executive, hampering operations and leaving judges vulnerable to political pressure.
It urged the immediate enforcement of Section 121(3)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees financial autonomy for the judiciary.
To this end, the NBA announced the creation of an ad-hoc committee to engage the executive and legislature to ensure compliance.
The association also advocated full implementation of the Correctional Service Act, 2019, especially in the areas of rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-inmates.
It called on the Ondo State government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to establish a dedicated department for correctional reforms, create better data systems for tracking rehabilitation outcomes, and set up well-funded halfway homes across the state.
It additionally recommended public-private partnerships for reintegration programmes and continuous training of correctional officers to meet modern professional standards.
The NBA further advised businesses and commercial stakeholders to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms in their contracts, stressing that not every disagreement should end up in court.
