2027: NBA urges Kaduna political actors to seek legal redress, shun violence
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kaduna Branch, has urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to resolve electoral disputes through lawful mechanisms rather than resorting to violence, intimidation or self-help ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The branch also called for measures to ensure that insecurity does not disenfranchise eligible voters or prevent electoral officials from carrying out their responsibilities in affected communities.
The NBA Kaduna Branch Chairman, Mr Baba Aliyu, made the call while outlining the legal challenges that could arise during the electoral process and the role of lawyers in promoting peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna on Monday.
Aliyu identified disputes arising from political party primaries and candidate nominations, non-compliance with electoral regulations, voter intimidation, vote buying, electoral violence and interference with electoral materials as some of the issues that could lead to litigation.
He also listed disputes over the conduct, collation and declaration of election results as potential areas of concern.
According to him, Kaduna’s security challenges make it particularly important for relevant authorities to protect voters, electoral officials and election materials.
“The right of citizens to participate in elections must be protected, and insecurity should not automatically translate into disenfranchisement,” he said.
The NBA chairman stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, community leaders and other stakeholders to work together to ensure that eligible citizens could exercise their franchise safely.
He also called for inclusive electoral arrangements that would accommodate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable communities.
Aliyu said political parties and candidates must familiarise themselves with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, INEC regulations and guidelines, as well as the applicable electoral timetable.
He advised parties to ensure that their primaries, nomination processes, campaign activities, financing and appointment of agents complied with the relevant legal framework.
The chairman further urged political actors and their supporters to avoid violence, inflammatory conduct, vote buying and other activities prohibited by law.
“It is much better to obtain legal advice before taking an action than to attempt to repair the consequences through litigation afterwards,” Aliyu said, recommending that political parties engage competent legal advisers throughout the electoral process.
He explained that the Electoral Act 2026 had introduced changes to aspects of electoral litigation, including greater emphasis on resolving certain qualification issues before elections.
He said the development made early legal compliance and timely legal advice particularly important for political parties and candidates.
On access to justice, Aliyu urged citizens whose electoral rights had been violated to document incidents, where it was safe to do so, and report them promptly through appropriate electoral, security or law-enforcement channels.
He said citizens should preserve relevant evidence and avoid taking risks that could endanger their lives while attempting to document electoral offences.
“Do not resort to self-help. Document the complaint, preserve whatever evidence can safely be preserved, and take it to the institution with the appropriate jurisdiction,” he advised.
The NBA chairman called for collaboration between the Kaduna branch of the association, INEC, civil society organisations, the media and community leaders to provide public legal education and referral mechanisms for citizens.
He also suggested the provision of pro bono legal assistance to vulnerable persons where appropriate, adding that the Legal Aid Council and other legal assistance organisations could support citizens depending on the nature of their complaints.
Aliyu said lawyers had a civic responsibility to strengthen democratic governance by educating citizens on electoral laws, rights and responsibilities, without supporting any political party or candidate.
“The NBA should educate, not campaign for any political party or candidate. Our objective is to strengthen respect for the rule of law, informed participation and peaceful democratic engagement,” he said.
He advocated the establishment of a clear and accessible reporting chain involving INEC, security agencies and other competent authorities to enable citizens to report suspected electoral offences promptly.
He further urged political parties to ensure that their accredited agents understood the procedures for recording and reporting irregularities through appropriate channels.
According to him, allegations of electoral offences should be properly reported, investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted, rather than being used as a basis for retaliation or violence.
“Elections are contests, not wars,” Aliyu said, urging political actors to respect the institutions established to conduct and adjudicate elections.
He noted that candidates and political parties had the right to challenge electoral decisions where they believed that the law had been violated, but insisted that such challenges must be pursued through the appropriate legal and institutional mechanisms.
The chairman advised political actors to resist violence, threats, destruction of property and intimidation when dissatisfied with electoral outcomes.
He said the election petition process provided a legal avenue for resolving electoral disputes.
“Where there is a genuine grievance, the courtroom, not the street, is the appropriate place to seek redress,” he said.
Aliyu reaffirmed the NBA Kaduna branch’s commitment to a peaceful, credible, inclusive and lawful electoral process, stressing that the association had no partisan interest in the outcome of any election.
He said the branch’s priority was to ensure that eligible citizens could participate freely, political actors complied with the rules, electoral institutions performed their responsibilities professionally and genuine disputes were resolved through lawful mechanisms.
He added that promoting respect for the rule of law and discouraging violence and self-help would help strengthen public confidence in democratic institutions.