AHEAD of the 2027 general elections, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised concerns over increasing judicial involvement in the internal affairs of political parties. NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, issued a statement on Friday warning that court interventions in party primaries and candidate nominations risk undermining the Electoral Act and democratic processes. The association cited recent judgments where courts reinstated candidates or nullified primary outcomes, actions it claims bypass statutory timelines and procedures set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Osigwe stressed that such rulings disrupt election preparedness and create legal uncertainty. The NBA reiterated that political party disputes should be resolved within party frameworks and in line with INEC guidelines, not through court-driven reversals close to election periods. The association called for adherence to due process and the rule of law to safeguard electoral integrity.
Afam Osigwe, SAN, has drawn a rare line in the sand by directly challenging judges and lawyers who enable judicial overreach into political party affairs. His statement is not just a legal caution but a rebuke to a growing industry of courtroom election engineering, where rulings—often delivered in the off-season—reshape candidate lineups and destabilize party structures. That Osigwe, as head of the NBA, feels compelled to speak out suggests the judiciary's role in politics has evolved into a predictable tool, not an impartial arbiter.
This is not merely about judicial conduct but about the weaponization of legal processes to serve political interests. When courts overturn primary results months after they occur, they invalidate not just party decisions but the Electoral Act's timeline, which INEC must follow. The NBA's concern is rooted in real precedent: past elections were marred by last-minute rulings that forced INEC to alter candidate lists, creating confusion and unequal contesting grounds. Lawyers file suits, judges issue orders, and the electoral calendar bends—while parties lose autonomy.
Ordinary Nigerians bear the cost when elections are decided in courtrooms instead of primary halls. Voters in parties like the PDP, APC, or Labour Party are denied clear choices when candidates are swapped through litigation. It entrenches elite manipulation and weakens public trust in both parties and courts. The 2027 cycle is already seeing early legal skirmishes—this trend, if unchecked, guarantees more chaos than competition.
A pattern is clear: every election cycle since 2015 has seen more judicial interference than the last. What was once exceptional is now routine, suggesting a systemic erosion of electoral autonomy.
