The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on political actors to prioritise mediation and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms instead of relying solely on courts and election tribunals to resolve electoral disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gatekeepers News reports that the appeal was made on Thursday by the Director of Litigation and Prosecution at INEC, Sulayma Ibrahim, during the Mediation Without Borders summit organised by the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) in Abuja.
The event brought together legal practitioners, mediators, and policy experts to discuss improved use of mediation in resolving conflicts.
Representing the INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Ibrahim said electoral processes often generate disputes arising from allegations of fraud, procedural irregularities, perceived bias, and contested outcomes.
He warned that poorly managed electoral disputes could escalate into political instability, violence, and what he described as “catastrophic crises,” stressing the importance of peaceful resolution mechanisms.
According to him, mediation has increasingly become a reliable tool for resolving political disagreements in Nigeria and can, in many cases, be more effective than formal court processes.
“There has been an increasing reliance on ADR methods, particularly mediation, in Nigeria,” he said, noting that INEC has recorded over 20 mediation cases through its ADR directorate.
He added that the ADR unit has now been upgraded into a division under the litigation and prosecution department and has been performing effectively in resolving disputes efficiently.
“The legal framework of the electoral processes and dispute resolution in Nigeria is anchored on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Ibrahim said.
“Parties can actually settle their dispute through mediation and still achieve results rather than appearing or ventilating their grievances at the election tribunals or in the conventional court.”
He cited a dispute between the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Labour Party (LP) as an example of a case resolved through mediation, adding that the intervention helped stabilise the party’s internal structure.
Ibrahim also referenced international examples, including the 2007–2008 post-election crisis in Kenya, which led to widespread violence and displacement.
He noted that mediation led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan helped restore order through a power-sharing arrangement between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga.
“This case exemplifies how mediation can serve as a critical instrument for de-escalating electoral tensions, preserving democratic institutions and ideals, and preventing human catastrophe,” he said.
