Senate says it is looking to ensure that election petitions are concluded before swearing-in

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Act, Sharafadeen Alli, has disclosed that the Senate is actively working to ensure the timely resolution of election petitions before the inauguration of the declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

During an appearance on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Alli pointed to the prevalence of unnecessary petitions as a key factor leading to off-cycle elections conducted by the electoral umpire.

Addressing the issues at hand, he stated, “We assessed the scheduling of elections and the resolution of election petitions, scrutinizing various administrative matters falling within the purview of INEC. Regarding legislation on election petitions, our perspective is that all pre-election matters should be concluded before the election takes place.”

Alli emphasized the adverse consequences of allowing post-election disputes to reach the Supreme Court after a candidate has been declared the winner. He noted, “A scenario where an individual has legitimately won an election, only for a pre-election matter to later emerge at the Supreme Court, challenging the victory and necessitating the removal of the elected individual, would undoubtedly impact the financial resources of our nation and diminish public morale.”

The Chairman disclosed the Senate’s intention to expedite the filing and resolution of election petitions, expressing a desire to limit the timeframe before swearing in. He stated, “We are contemplating reducing the time allotted for filing and concluding petitions. Our aim is to prevent a situation where an individual is sworn in and subsequently removed. This approach is what led us to experience off-cycle elections, which could have been avoided if we successfully concluded election petitions before the inauguration of the assembly.”

Alli further elaborated on the Senate’s proposed timeline adjustments, stating, “Previously, we reduced the timeframe from two years to one year, facing skepticism. Now, we are considering a period of 180 days. In some other countries, the resolution of election petitions occurs within as little as 14 to 21 days.”