Reporting by **BusinessDay** indicates that the Federal Government has set aside a staggering N135.22 billion in the 2026 budget specifically for post-election litigation. The decision has triggered sharp reactions from political stakeholders and civil society groups, who argue that the high figure reflects a lack of confidence in the integrity of the electoral process. Critics suggest that the funds could be better spent on improving the technology used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent disputes in the first place.
The allocation is one of the highest in recent history for legal fees, highlighting the increasingly litigious nature of Nigerian politics. Government spokespeople defend the move as a necessary provision to ensure the judiciary is sufficiently resourced to handle the expected deluge of petitions without compromising the timeline of democratic transitions.
**Leadership** reported that “opposition parties have condemned the N135bn budget as a waste of taxpayer money,” while **The Nation** noted that “legal experts believe the fund will improve the speed of the justice system.”
**Echotitbits take:** Allocating N135 billion for court cases is essentially a “litigation tax” on democracy. It suggests the government expects the next cycle to be as controversial as the last, rather than investing in the electoral reforms that would make such lawsuits unnecessary.
Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/fg-budgets-n135bn-for-2027-election-lawsuits/, April 9, 2026
Photo credit: The Punch
