In 2018, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling in Sifax Nig. Ltd v. Migfo Nig. Ltd, which established the principle that the clock stops running for the purpose of a statute of limitation once an action is instituted, even if initially filed in the wrong court. However, a pressing issue in our current electoral jurisprudence, particularly since the enactment of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), is the growing injustice stemming from the rigid timelines prescribed by the Act for hearing election petitions and related appeals. This rigidity raises concerns about prioritizing technicalities over substantive justice. This article advocates for the application of the exception established in the Migfo case to election petitions, with necessary modifications to suit the electoral context.
