Court to hear suit seeking to stop Jonathan’s 2027 presidential bid Friday

 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan may face a legal hurdle over any potential 2027 presidential ambition as the Federal High Court in Abuja has slated Friday, May 8, to hear a suit challenging his eligibility to contest.

The case, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was brought before the court by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to rule that Jonathan cannot constitutionally seek election into the office again.

Justice Peter Lifu had earlier, on April 28, directed that hearing notices be issued and served on all defendants after no formal responses were filed in respect of the matter.

Jonathan was named as the first defendant in the suit, while the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation were listed as the second and third defendants respectively.

The plaintiff is requesting an order preventing the former president from presenting himself to any political party for nomination ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

He also urged the court to restrain INEC from receiving or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate in the election.

In the originating summons, the plaintiff asked the court to determine “whether in view of the combined provisions of Sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Jideobi maintained that Jonathan had already utilised the constitutionally permitted two terms in office, having first completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before securing another full term after the 2011 presidential election.

According to an affidavit deposed to by Emmanuel Agida in support of the suit, Jonathan assumed office as president on May 6, 2010, following the death of Yar’Adua a day earlier.

The affidavit further stated that recent reports indicating that Jonathan could join the 2027 presidential race prompted the legal action.

“That the plaintiff believes that the 1st defendant, having completed the unexpired term of late President Yar’Adua and subsequently served a full term after the 2011 election, has exhausted the constitutional limit of two tenures as president,” the affidavit partly read.

The plaintiff also contended that any victory by Jonathan in the 2027 poll would amount to him taking the presidential oath for a third time, which he argued would violate constitutional provisions.

Agida stated that the suit was instituted “in the public interest, in defence of the rule of law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution, and to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian constitutional order.”