Politicians Now Depend On Courts, Not Voters, To Win Elections — Ex-NBA President

The immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has criticised the growing role of the judiciary in Nigeria’s electoral process, saying politicians increasingly rely on courts rather than voters to determine electoral victories.

Speaking at the 22nd Nigeria Guild of Editors Conference in Enugu on Thursday, Osigwe said controversial legal technicalities and difficulties in proving electoral violations had gradually shifted the determination of election outcomes from the ballot box to the courts.

He expressed concern over the high number of election petitions in Nigeria, arguing that prolonged judicial processes had further complicated electoral disputes and weakened public confidence in elections.

According to him, declining voter turnout is partly linked to the perception that votes may not ultimately determine who wins an election.

Osigwe also criticised vote-buying, political thuggery and alleged irregularities in the electoral process, while raising concerns about the growing dependence of politicians on litigation after elections.

He further questioned aspects of judicial decisions concerning the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, arguing that some legal interpretations had created additional challenges for those seeking to challenge electoral outcomes.

The former NBA president called for reforms to Nigeria’s electoral and legal systems, warning that continued reliance on courts to determine political mandates could further erode citizens’ confidence in democracy.