Constitution amendment: Gov’ship, presidential election litigation will end at Appeal Court – Lawmaker

Lawmaker Bayo Balogun announced a plan to introduce a motion in the House of Representatives to amend the 1999 Constitution, making the Court of Appeal the final arbiter in presidential and governorship election petitions. Currently, disputes can escalate to the Supreme Court, causing delays.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Nnamdi Ezechi, aims to reduce the tribunal period to 90 days and the appeal period to 50 days, with a total of 185 days from the election to the swearing-in. This change would also require INEC to hold elections earlier in February to allow for the timely conclusion of litigation and prevent delays in the tenure of governors.

The amendment would make the Court of Appeal the final authority in election disputes, streamlining the process and ensuring a more efficient resolution.