Election Appeals from All States Moved to Abuja, Lagos by Appeal Court President

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has ordered that all appeals arising from election petition cases across the country be transferred to the Abuja and Lagos divisions of the court. The order affects the governorship, national, and state assemblies’ elections, which were held between February and March 2023.

The directive was issued following allegations and petitions against state tribunal judges. Some political parties and their candidates had alleged that the judges at the state tribunals had been compromised by governors. The aggrieved parties also expressed concerns that they may suffer the same fate if the appeals are to be determined in the various states.

The transfer of the appeals is aimed at guaranteeing the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the appellate court. The appeals court president said having fewer divisions handle all cases will enable her to effectively oversee the judges.

Sources at the Court of Appeal said the Abuja division will handle appeals from 19 northern states, while 17 southern states’ cases will be heard in Lagos. Parties and their counsels are said to be complying with the fresh directive and moving their files to the two cities, despite the huge costs.

The order is expected to expedite the hearing and determination of the election appeals, which have a statutory deadline of 180 days from the date of filing. The order is also expected to reduce the workload and pressure on the state divisions of the court, which have been overwhelmed by other civil and criminal cases.