Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, have called for reforms to ensure that future elections, including the 2027 general elections, are determined by voters at polling units rather than prolonged legal battles.
The duo made the call at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu. The conference, themed “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” also examined the growing threat of artificial intelligence-generated misinformation to electoral credibility.
Delivering the keynote address, Onaiyekan expressed concern over the increasing role of the judiciary in determining electoral outcomes, stressing that courts should adjudicate disputes rather than effectively decide election winners.
“The judiciary is supposed to be the last stage in the electoral process. It should be stressed that the judiciary is not to determine elections about who wins, but rather to adjudicate disputes when they arise,” he said.
He argued that properly conducted elections should minimise the need for prolonged litigation.
“If elections were well conducted, there ought not to be any need for judicial cases. The tribunals were supposed to be there just in case,” he added.
The Cardinal said Nigeria’s recent experience had increasingly seen electoral disputes shift from polling stations to courtrooms.
“Our experience in the recent past has almost become that we have been witnessing a situation where our elections are being determined not at the polls, but in the courts by the tribunals,” he said.
Onaiyekan also criticised the high cost and lengthy nature of election litigation, particularly the reliance on technical arguments.
“This gives a field day for high-class lawyers with high-level fees, doing their best to manipulate issues on technicalities,” he said.
He further referenced allegations of unfair judgments by some election tribunals, saying such perceptions had affected public confidence in the judiciary.
“There are allegations that are difficult to deny of unjust judgments by some judges in election tribunals,” he said, adding that the judiciary’s performance in recent elections had “seriously dented the image of this hallowed institution.”
Onaiyekan Demands Electoral Reforms
Onaiyekan called for reforms to strengthen the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as well as the establishment of a special tribunal dedicated to election cases.
He proposed that election petitions should be concluded within a fixed period and, more importantly, before elected officials are sworn into office.
“More seriously, we must do all that is necessary to dispose of all tribunal cases before swearing in any candidate,” he said.
The Cardinal questioned the fairness of allowing a candidate declared winner to assume office while simultaneously defending the election victory in court with access to state resources.
“A situation where a candidate has been declared a president still going to tribunal to defend his position using state means and state resources to defend himself against his opponents is not serious as far as natural justice is concerned,” he said.
He also called for greater opportunities for voters to challenge results where they believe their votes were wrongly counted.
“We who cast the votes and whose votes are at stake have no room to complain. This must change,” he said.
Onaiyekan further advocated changes to the process of appointing INEC officials to strengthen the commission’s independence.
Despite the challenges facing the system, he said democracy remained the best framework for allowing citizens to choose their leaders and urged Nigerians to protect it.
“The ultimate objective is to install a government that is freely chosen by the people and that works for the common good of the people,” he said.
He added that elected officials should possess good character, respect the law and place the common good above personal interests.
Osigwe Raises Concerns Over BVAS, IReV.
Speaking on “Election Petition in the Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS,” Osigwe also expressed concern over the increasing involvement of courts in electoral disputes.
“I see that Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest number of election petitions, and all because the courts are very frequently involved in determining either the outcome or who won,” he said.
He described the development as the “judicialisation of the electoral process,” arguing that courts had increasingly become central to political contests after elections.
Osigwe also examined the challenges candidates face in proving electoral violations, particularly with the growing reliance on digital evidence.
He discussed the role of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), arguing that electronic systems introduced to improve transparency should not create additional obstacles for petitioners seeking to establish alleged irregularities.
He also questioned the treatment of evidence obtained through subpoenas during election cases and argued that IReV records should have meaningful evidentiary value in electoral litigation.
The former NBA president equally criticised the political culture in which defeated candidates are routinely advised to “go to court,” saying such statements could raise questions about public confidence in the electoral justice system.
He further raised concerns over perceptions of corruption within the judiciary, noting that even unproven allegations could damage public trust.
Osigwe also questioned the independence of INEC, arguing that doubts about the commission’s neutrality could contribute to disputes and increase the number of election petitions.
NGE President, Others Seek Credible Elections
President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, Eze Anaba, called for greater protection of the credibility of the ballot.
“The credibility of the ballot must be protected so that the courts do not have to replace the citizenry in determining who should represent the people,” Anaba said.
He stressed the importance of providing voters with reliable information to make informed choices, while urging journalists to play their role before, during and after elections.
AI Misinformation Raises 2027 Concerns
The conference also devoted significant attention to the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence-generated misinformation.
Representing the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Ali M. Ali, warned that AI could make fabricated information appear authentic.
“A false statement can be produced in the voice of a public official. A fabricated video can be circulated within minutes. An old photograph can be presented as a current event,” Idris said.
The minister urged media organisations to make verification central to their operations and clearly distinguish facts from allegations and opinions.
“The job of a professional journalist is not to amplify every claim simply because it is politically attractive. The job is to establish what is true, provide context and allow citizens to make their own judgments,” he said.
Chairman of the conference and Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, also warned that AI could produce convincing fake audio and videos capable of misleading voters.
“A voice that sounds exactly like a governor can now say what he never said. A video can place a candidate where he never was,” Achebe said.
He urged journalists to prioritise verification over speed and proposed the establishment of an Election Rapid Response Desk to help media organisations detect and correct false information before it spreads widely.
Political economist, Prof. Patrick Utomi, warned that weaknesses in electoral institutions could have consequences beyond individual elections.
“If the people are convinced that there is no point, what is an election? Imagine the amount of money we waste to have elections that are totally meaningless because they do not legitimise anybody,” he said.
Utomi also warned against the normalisation of poor democratic practices, saying their continued acceptance could have serious consequences for the country.
Meanwhile, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, urged journalists to strengthen investigative reporting and establish facts as technology makes it easier to spread false information.
“The government must be transparent about what it is doing and be accountable for the results. The press must establish the facts and report the truth,” Mbah said.
The governor also cautioned against allowing investigative journalism to lose its importance in newsrooms, stressing the need for accountability in governance.
Mbah highlighted some projects of his administration, including road construction, education, healthcare, water supply, transport, aviation and industrial development.
He said the state had constructed or reconstructed more than 1,500 kilometres of roads and delivered over 7,000 classrooms, while also developing Smart Green Schools and primary healthcare centres.
He also cited the operations of Enugu Air and the development of Enugu Smart City as part of the administration’s development initiatives.
The conference ultimately brought together concerns over electoral credibility, judicial independence, digital evidence, media responsibility and AI-generated misinformation as key issues requiring attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.
