A 18
2011 No. 2
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Second Alteration) Act
(3) The decisions of the Court of Appeal in respect of appeals arising
from the National and State r-Iouses of Assembly election petitions shall be
final".
EsTABLISHMENT OF ELECfiON TRIBUNALS AND TtME FOR D ETERMINATION OF
ELECfiON PETITIONS
Substitution
for Secti on
285 of the
Constitution
and secti on
29 of the
First
Alterati on
Act.
9. Section 29 of the Filrst Alteration Act and section 285 of the
Constitution are substituted for the following new section" (1) There shall be established for the each State of the Federation and
the Federal .Capital Territory, one or more election tribunals to be known as
the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunals which shall , to
the exclusion of any Court or tribunal, have original jurisdiction to hear and
determine petitions as to whether(a) any person has bee10 validly elected as a member of the National
Assembly ; or
(b) any person has been validly elected as a member of the House of
Assembly of a State.
(2) There shall be established in each State of the Federation an election
tribunal to be known as the Governorship Election Tribunal which sha11, 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 of a State.
(3) The composition of the National and State Houses of Assembly
Election Tribunal and the Governorship Election Tribunal, respectively, shall
be as set out in the Sixth Schedule to this Constitution.
(4) The quorum of an election tribunal established under this section
shall be the Chairman and ome other member.
(5) An election petition shall be filed within 21 days a fter the date of the
declaration of result of the el,ections ;
(6) An e lection tribunal shall deliver its judgment in writing within 180
days from the date of the filing of the petition ; .
(7) An appeal from a decision of an election tribunal or Court ofApJ~ eal
in an election mauer shall be heard and disposed of within 60 days from the
date of the delivery of judgment of the tribunal or Court of Appeal.
(8) The court. in all final appeals from an election tribunal or court may
adopt the practice offrrst gjving its decision and reserving the reasons therefore
to a later date".