Appeal Court President Orders Relocation of Election Appeals to Abuja and Lagos Amid Allegations of Judicial Compromise”
In response to allegations and petitions against state tribunal judges, the President of the Appeal Court has directed that all election appeals for Governorship, National and States Assemblies’ Elections, held between February and March 2023, be transferred to Abuja and Lagos for adjudication.
Despite there being 20 appellate courts across the country, only two divisions of the court will handle these election appeals. The Abuja division will oversee appeals from 19 northern states, while cases from 17 southern states will be heard in Lagos. The decision to centralize these appeals comes in light of concerns that some state tribunal judges may have been compromised by governors, potentially affecting the fairness of the appeals.
The relocation aims to ensure the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the appellate court, as well as facilitate more effective oversight by the Appeal Court president.
Political parties and their legal representatives are reported to be complying with the directive, despite the associated financial costs.