BLESSING OMALE, Abuja
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has issued a strong warning to legal practitioners and the judiciary against involvement in the internal affairs of political parties, cautioning that such actions could undermine Nigeria’s democratic process as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement released on Friday and signed by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), the association expressed concern over what it described as a growing pattern of litigation aimed at drawing courts into intra-party disputes, despite clear legal provisions limiting such judicial intervention.
The NBA said recent political and legal developments surrounding the interpretation of the Electoral Act 2022 raise serious constitutional and rule-of-law concerns, particularly as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Citing Section 83 of the Act, the association stressed that courts are expressly barred from entertaining suits relating to the internal affairs of political parties.
Osigwe added that the law also prohibits courts from granting interim or interlocutory injunctions in such disputes.
According to the NBA, where such cases are brought before the courts, judges are required to suspend rulings on interim applications and instead deliver decisions at the stage of final judgment, while ensuring accelerated hearings.
However, the association lamented that courts have continued to entertain such cases, in some instances issuing orders that directly affect party leadership contests and internal governance structures.
The NBA further accused some lawyers of engaging in forum shopping and filing what it termed “mala fide applications” in a bid to secure favourable judicial orders for political advantage.
“This emerging trend of subverting the clear letters of the Electoral Act and dragging courts into the internal affairs of political parties through disingenuous litigation does no good for our democracy,” the statement said.
The association warned that persistent judicial involvement in intra-party disputes risks turning court processes into tools of political manipulation, undermining the integrity of internal party democracy.
He also reminded lawyers of their ethical obligations, stressing that members of the legal profession must not act as political agents in pursuit of partisan interests.
“The filing of actions intended to draw courts into internal political party disputes, particularly where jurisdiction is expressly excluded, constitutes an abuse of court process and a violation of professional responsibility,” the NBA stated.
The body warned that it would not hesitate to initiate disciplinary proceedings against erring lawyers, including petitions to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, to safeguard professional standards and the integrity of the bar.
Beyond legal practitioners, the NBA called on the judiciary to exercise restraint and resist being drawn into politically motivated cases, urging courts to decline jurisdiction in matters explicitly barred by law.
It also urged the National Judicial Council to sanction judicial officers who assume jurisdiction in prohibited matters or grant orders that contravene statutory provisions.
The association further advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain strict neutrality, warning that any perceived involvement in political manoeuvring could erode public confidence and weaken political pluralism.
Reaffirming its commitment to upholding the rule of law, the NBA said it would continue to deploy lawful and professional mechanisms to prevent abuse of judicial processes in political disputes, insisting that both the judiciary and electoral bodies must operate strictly within constitutional limits.
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