Reps move to end governorship, N’Assembly petitions at Appeal Court
The House of Representatives has amended the Electoral Act 2026 to make the Court of Appeal the final court for governorship and National Assembly election petitions. The changes also introduce technology-driven methods for serving election petition documents, such as email and SMS, aiming to reduce delays and technical objections. Adebayo Balogun and Dr Benjamin Kalu played key roles in presenting and defending the amendments. The reforms are intended to clarify court jurisdictions and improve the efficiency of electoral dispute resolution.
Key takeaways
- The House adopted a report from the Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Adebayo Balogun, to amend the Electoral Act 2026.
- The amendments allow for electronic service of court documents, including email and SMS, as valid methods.
- Election petitions for governorship and National Assembly will now terminate at the Court of Appeal, while presidential pre-election matters start at the Court of Appeal and end at the Supreme Court.
- The reforms aim to reduce delays, curb technical objections, and clarify jurisdiction in pre-election matters.
- Dr Benjamin Kalu presided over the session where the bills passed the second reading and were committed to the Committee of the Whole.
