On Monday, 14th April, 2025, the College of Law, Achievers University, held its 5th Annual Public Lecture, playing host to Hon. Justice Olabode Abimbola Adegbehingbe, J.C.A., a distinguished Justice of the Court of Appeal, Yola Division as the lecturer. Titled “Electoral Reforms and the Role of the Judiciary in Ensuring Free and Fair Elections in Nigeria,” the event drew an august physical and virtual gathering of legal minds, academics, students, policymakers, and the general public, all eager to engage in a discourse that sits at the heart of Nigeria’s democratic journey.
During his presentation, Justice Adegbehingbe critiqued the ongoing clamour for electoral reforms in Nigeria, setting the tone with a thoughtful distinction between “form” and “reform.” While “form,” he explained, refers to structure, “reform” represents the conscious effort to improve that structure. However, the role of the judiciary in such reforms, he argued, remains misinterpreted by many.
“I confess that I find unavoidable discomfort in placing the judiciary in the same sentence as the phrase ‘electoral reforms,’” the Justice remarked. He emphasized that legislative bodies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)—not the courts—are constitutionally empowered to drive reforms in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Justice Adegbehingbe noted that while the courts are often seen as the last hope for justice, their role is strictly interpretative. “The judiciary is not vested with lawmaking powers,” he said, citing Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution and drawing from landmark cases to accentuate the principle that courts cannot usurp the functions of the legislature.
Nonetheless, the Justice acknowledged that the judiciary plays a default role in electoral reforms—its decisions often trigger legislative amendments. For instance, the ruling in Nyesom v. Peterside (2016) concerning the use of card readers in elections prompted the eventual inclusion of Section 47 of the Electoral Act 2022, which now validates electronic accreditation.
The lecture further touched on the critical importance of clarity in statutes and the limitations imposed by judicial timeframes under Section 285 of the Constitution, which sets deadlines for adjudication of electoral disputes. “Mounting free and fair elections has nothing to do with the courts,” the Justice stated emphatically. “Their role is subsequential—not precedential. The true reformers lie in the legislature, INEC, and, most importantly, the people.” He, therefore, emphasized five key areas of reform which include political attitudinal change, strengthening INEC’s regulatory independence, clarification of results collation and transmission processes, legal streamlining of electoral appeals, and expanded voter verification protocols.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Achievers University, Professor Omolola Irinoye, in her opening remarks, appreciated the College of Law and its leadership for consistently fostering civic responsibility and intellectual engagement through its annual public lecture series. Asserting the University’s commitment to supporting discourses of national development relevance, the Vice-Chancellor described Justice Adegbehingbe’s lecture as timely and invaluable, especially as Nigeria prepares for future elections, noting that it challenged all stakeholders to understand and respect their institutional roles in the nation’s democratic framework.
Speaking on the concern of the College, the Dean of the College of Law, Achievers University, Professor Samson Joshua, noted that the electoral processes have been fraught with unwholesomeness, hence the lecture. He thanked the guest lecturer for honouring the invitation to impact on Achievers University. He noted that the lecture aligns with the University’s commitment to raising change agents with legal knowledge and civic insight.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of Awards of Excellence—first, to Hon. Justice Adegbehingbe for his remarkable contributions to the Nigeria’s legal system, and second, to the student representatives of the College of Law for securing First Position at the Inter-College Debate organized by the Achievers University Students’ Association (AUSA).
Among other dignitaries in attendance were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Achievers University, Professor Oyesoji Aremu; the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Owo Chapter, Chief Kunle Ijalana; the Acting Registrar of Achievers University, Mr Adebayo Olagunju; the Acting Librarian, Mrs Darlina Ogbuiyi-Oriogu; the Immediate Past Registrar of Achievers University, Rev. Canon Bayode Oladimeji; the General Manager of Achievers Ventures, Mr Dokun Farinre; and Deans of other Colleges of Achievers University.
Staff and students engaging the Lecturer after his lecture
