The Federal Government’s N135.22bn budget provision for post-election litigation ahead of the 2027 polls has drawn criticism from opposition parties, civil society groups and legal experts who question its necessity and transparency.
The Federal Government has proposed N135.22bn in the 2026 budget for “Electoral Adjudication and Post Election Provision,” signalling a major financial commitment to handling disputes and obligations arising from Nigeria’s elections. The allocation, listed under the Service-Wide Votes in the appropriation report submitted to the House of Representatives, forms part of the N3.70tn Consolidated Revenue Fund charges and accompanies a proposed N1.01tn statutory transfer to the Independent National Electoral Commission for electoral activities.
Opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress, questioned the rationale behind the allocation, arguing that it suggests the electoral system anticipates widespread disputes. PDP spokesman Ini Ememobong said, “It means that INEC itself is anticipating that it will not do well and that people will not accept the outcome of the results,” adding that transparency during elections would “drastically reduce” post-election litigation.
Civil society leaders and legal experts also criticised the scale of the provision. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana said, “It is on the very high side,” noting that INEC usually spends far less on legal services. Advocacy groups warned that budgeting heavily for electoral disputes reflects deeper systemic problems, arguing that credible elections should settle outcomes at the ballot box rather than in the courts.