Part III
Election Tribunals
285. (1) There shall be established for the Federation one or more election tribunals to be known as the National
Assembly Election Tribunals which shall, to the exclusion of any or tribunal, have original jurisdiction to hear
and determine petitions as to whether –
(a) any person has been validly elected as a member of the National Assembly;
(b) the term of office of any person under this Constitution has ceased;
(c) the seat of a member of the Senate or a member of the House of Representatives has vacant; and
(d) a question or petition brought before the election tribunal has been properly or improperly brought.
(2) There shall be established in each State of the Federation one or more election tribunals to be known as the
Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Tribunals which shall, to the exclusion of any court or tribunal,
have original jurisdiction to hear and determine petitions as to whether any person has been validly elected to the
office of Governor or Deputy Governor or as a member of any legislative house.
(3) The composition of the National Assembly election Tribunals, Governorship and Legislative Houses Election
Tribunals shall be as set out I the Sixth Schedule to this Constitution.
(4) The quorum of an election tribunal established under this section shall be the Chairman and two other
members.
Part IV
Supplemental
286. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution(a) where by the Law of a State jurisdiction is conferred upon any court for the hearing and determination of
civil causes and of appeals arising out of such causes, the court shall have like jurisdiction with respect to the
hearing and determination of Federal causes and of appeals arising out of such causes:
(b) where by the Law of a State jurisdiction is conferred upon any court for the investigation, inquiry into, or
trial of persons accused of offences against the Laws of the State and with respect to the hearing and
determination of appeals arising out of any such trial or out of any proceedings connected therewith, the court
shall have like jurisdiction with respect to the investigation, inquiry into, or trial of persons for Federal offences
and the hearing and determination of appeals arising out of the trial or proceedings; and
(c) the jurisdiction conferred on a court of a state pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be exercised in
conformity with the practice and procedure for the time being prescribed in relation to its jurisdiction over civil
or criminal causes other than Federal causes.
(2) Nothing in the provisions of this section shall be construed, except in so far as other provisions have been
made by the operation of sections 299 and 301 of this Constitution, as conferring jurisdiction as respects Federal
causes or Federal offences upon a court presided over by a person who is not or has not been qualified to practice
as a legal practitioner in Nigeria.
(3) In this section, unless the context otherwise requires " causes" includes matter;
"Federal cause" means civil or criminal cause relating to provisions of the National Assembly has power to make
laws; and