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ELECTORAL DISPUTES ⚖️
How to challenge results and protect your vote.
TRIBUNAL HIERARCHY
Source: Electoral Act 2022, Sections 132–152 · Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)
KEY DEADLINES
FILING DEADLINES — ABSOLUTE, NO EXTENSIONS
Source: Electoral Act 2022, Sections 132–152
GROUNDS FOR PETITION
Corrupt Practices
Vote buying, inducement, violence or intimidation of voters or officials.
Non-Compliance
Failure to comply with the Electoral Act 2022 in conducting the election.
Candidate Ineligibility
Candidate did not meet constitutional qualifications at time of election.
Impersonation
Voters or agents impersonated registered voters at the poll.
Overvoting
Votes cast exceed the number of accredited voters at a polling unit.
Falsification of Results
Results on Form EC8A differ from IReV portal uploads — evidence of manipulation.
EVIDENCE GUIDE — STEP BY STEP
Collect IReV Result Sheets
Download result sheets from inecnigeria.org/irev. Timestamp each download — metadata is admissible.
Obtain Form EC8A Copies
Polling-unit results declared on Form EC8A. Party agents should retain copies signed at close of count.
Commission Forensic Report
Where fingerprint or signature fraud is alleged, a forensic expert report is required as evidence.
File Petition Within 21 Days
Lodge petition with the tribunal registry. No extension is possible — the deadline is absolute.
Serve All Respondents
Serve INEC and all named respondents within 7 days of filing. Failure to serve may invalidate the petition.
Pre-Hearing Conference
Tribunal schedules a pre-hearing to set the timetable, agree on witnesses, and narrow issues.
Hearing — Evidence and Witnesses
Present live witnesses, subpoena officials, and tender documentary evidence including IReV printouts.
IREV AS EVIDENCE
INEC RESULT VIEWING PORTAL (IReV)
The INEC Result Viewing Portal allows real-time verification of polling-unit results. Screenshots with timestamps are admissible evidence in tribunal proceedings.
Important precedent: The Supreme Court ruled in Bola Ahmed Tinubu v Peter Obi (2023) that IReV non-compliance is not an automatic ground for nullification — the petitioner must prove substantial non-compliance that affected the outcome of the election.
Best practice: download IReV sheets immediately after results are declared, verify timestamps, and compare against signed Form EC8A copies held by your polling-unit agents.
FILING COSTS
Fees set by each court registry — verify directly before filing. Source: Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules.
Filing fees are subject to change. Confirm current amounts with the relevant court registry before filing. Nigerian courts directory
WHO CAN FILE
ELIGIBLE PETITIONERS
- A candidate in the election
- A political party that participated in the election
NOT ELIGIBLE TO FILE
Individual voters — only candidates and registered political parties that participated in the specific election may file a petition. Voters cannot petition directly.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
Petition deadlines are ABSOLUTE — 21 days, no extension. Consult a qualified lawyer immediately after an election dispute arises.