2027 polls: Chief Justice warns judges against undermining judicial integrity

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on Monday cautioned judges against practices that could undermine the integrity of judicial proceedings as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Kekere-Ekun spoke during the opening session of “the 2026 roundtable for heads of courts,” organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, has said former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will campaign in all 36 states of the federation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Shaibu’s statement contrasts with President Bola Tinubu’s decision to limit his personal participation in the All Progressives Congress campaign rallies to 12 states, citing the need to balance electioneering with governance.

He stated this during an interview on ARISE News on Sunday, dismissing concerns that Atiku’s campaign might focus mainly on northern Nigeria.

The CJN cautioned on practices which include forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts to obtain conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

She said the issues require particular attention as the country approaches another election season, noting that election-related disputes often attract intense public interest and considerable pressure on the courts.

“The judiciary must be prepared to discharge its constitutional responsibilities with impartiality, courage and fidelity to the law.

“Political sensitivity, public sentiment or the urgency with which a matter is presented must never displace the careful application of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the applicable rules of court.

“I urge your lordships to ensure that appropriate administrative arrangements are in place to facilitate the timely and orderly handling of election-related matters,” she said.

According to CJN, judicial officers must be reminded of the need to scrutinise applications carefully, insist on full and frank disclosure of relevant facts, pay due regard to related proceedings and resist any attempt to use urgent applications or ex-parte orders to secure an improper advantage.

“The integrity of judicial proceedings must not be compromised by competing political interests or pressure from any quarter.

“Forum shopping is particularly damaging because it undermines consistency, encourages abuse of process and exposes the Judiciary to avoidable public controversy.

“Your lordships must therefore ensure that existing procedural safeguards are observed and that appropriate steps are taken whenever attempts to circumvent established judicial processes come to light.

“No litigant should be permitted to manipulate the judicial system in search of a favourable decision.

“Public confidence in the judiciary will be tested during this period,” she said.

Kerere-Ekun reminded the heads of courts to provide the leadership necessary to ensure that election-related cases are handled competently, expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law.

She said the objective is to ensure that the courts remained impartial arbiters of disputes, free from political influence and guided solely by the facts, the applicable law and the demands of justice.

She also spoke on  the need for judges to always ensure prompt determination of cases, noting that the timely determination of cases remains one of the most pressing challenges confronting the judiciary.

She said delay imposes financial and emotional burdens on litigants, diminishes the practical value of judicial remedies and weakens public confidence in the justice system.

On courtroom conduct, she said judicial authority is best exercised with “fairness, composure and respect.

“Every litigant, regardless of social status, financial means or education, deserves dignity, while lawyers are entitled to courteous treatment.

“Firmness and courtesy are entirely compatible. A judge can control proceedings without humiliating counsel or a litigant,” she said.

Speaking earlier, the Administrator of the (NJI), Justice Babatunde Adejumo (rtd.), said the judiciary, as custodian of justice and guardian of the rule of law, is under constant public scrutiny, placing a heavy responsibility on those steering its affairs to safeguard its image and shape positive public perceptions.

Justice Adejumo, who is the immediate past President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), said the annual roundtable provides a platform for candid exchange, identifying cross-cutting challenges and collectively developing solutions.

He added that the programme was deliberately designed with minimal external intervention so that the Heads of courts would direct discussions and determine outcomes.

Justice Adejumo praised the CJN for the many reforms she had introduced, which he said had entrenched judicial independence and enhanced integrity across all levels of the judiciary.

Atiku’s spokesman said the campaign schedule would be released soon, adding that no state would be excluded from the former vice-president’s engagements with voters.

“We are going to release our schedule in a few days. Or in a few hours. And you will see for yourself. You will be able to interrogate for yourself. That look, Atiku Abubakar, no state will be left out,” he said.

Shaibu explained that the campaign would extend beyond rallies in state capitals to include town hall meetings, community engagements and visits to local government areas and villages.

“We are not going to limit our campaign to just state capital or to just rallies. Atiku is already connected with the people. The people are hungry. People are dying. Do you understand? He needs to connect with them. He needs to listen to them,” he said.

He added that the campaign would provide opportunities for Atiku to interact directly with Nigerians and hear their concerns.

According to Shaibu, economic hardship is a nationwide problem that could shape voters’ decisions, regardless of their geographical location.

“As for the pathway, I’ll tell you. Our pathway is clear and simple. The man who is hungry in Zamfara is the same as the man who is hungry in Lagos. Forget the noise,” he said.

Shaibu maintained that Atiku’s appeal was not restricted to the North, predicting that Nigerians facing economic difficulties would support the former vice-president.

“Hungry Nigerians will vote for Atiku Abubakar. Atiku’s pathway is not limited to Northern Nigeria. Atiku’s pathway is across the length and breadth of Nigeria,” he said.

Asked which southern states Atiku expected to win, Shaibu expressed confidence in the candidate’s nationwide prospects.

“I will not just be bold, I will be audacious about it. Atiku will win the entire country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tinubu, while inaugurating the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on October 14, said he would not accompany the campaign team to every state, stressing that the country still required his attention.

“You’ve warned me not to allow the rigour of the campaign to distract me from governance, I hear you. I am in full agreement with your decision. Nigeria needs more attention now,” the President said.

He also cited the country’s financial obligations and the need to attract investors as reasons for limiting his participation in campaign activities.

“So, you will excuse me from going everywhere with you, we have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait,” he said.

According to APC’s campaign timetable, Tinubu was scheduled to attend rallies in 12 states, beginning with Kaduna on October 24 and ending with Lagos on January 9, 2027.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), has called on Nigerians to reject the African Democratic Congress, (ADC), and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over alleged non-payment of party staff salaries for over 12 months.

In a press statement issued by its Spokesperson, Dr. Dele Alake, on Monday, October 26, 2026, the APC Campaign Council alleged that the National Working Committee of the ADC, led by Senator David Mark as Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Secretary, has refused and neglected to pay its workforce for more than a year.

The Council described the development as “unconscionable, wicked and reprehensible,” arguing that it was wrong for a political party that makes grandiose promises to Nigerians to owe workers who report to work daily and depend on their salaries for sustenance.

According to the statement, the alleged indebtedness has exposed what the APC described as the emptiness and insincerity of those parading themselves as new saviours of the country.

The APC maintained that the ADC leadership and its presidential candidate do not mean well for Nigeria, alleging that their quest for power is driven by personal aggrandizement and ill will against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Council further stated that a political party that cannot pay its cleaners and other staff cannot be entrusted with the management of the nation’s affairs, stressing that basic administrative competence starts with staff welfare.

The statement also levelled allegations against Atiku Abubakar, claiming that the former Vice President has a history of owing employees in his private businesses, including Gotel Communications, where staff were said to have staged protests over unpaid salaries while he travelled abroad.

Similarly, the APC Campaign Council revisited the tenure of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Governor of Osun State, describing his record on workers’ salaries and pensions as abysmal, with the introduction of modulated salary payments and the abandonment of pensioners.

The Council argued that it was therefore not surprising that the ADC, which it described as harbouring birds of the same feather, is facing a similar salary crisis at the national level.

It concluded by warning Nigerian workers and the electorate to reject the ADC and all its candidates in the forthcoming general elections, insisting that a party that cannot manage its internal affairs and the welfare of its own workforce should not be trusted with national governance.