Court Fixes Friday For Suit Seeking To Bar Jonathan From 2027 Presidential Race

A Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear a suit on Friday seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was instituted by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to seek the presidency again.

Justice Peter Lifu had, on April 28, ordered that hearing notices be served on the defendants after they failed to file their responses within the stipulated time.

Jonathan is listed as the first defendant in the suit, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation are named as second and third defendants respectively.

The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 election.

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Jideobi is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.

In the suit, the plaintiff asked the court to determine whether, based on Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan remains eligible under any circumstances to contest for Nigeria’s highest office again.

According to the plaintiff, Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit for the office after completing the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and subsequently serving a full four-year term following the 2011 election.

An affidavit filed in support of the suit by Emmanuel Agida stated that Jonathan assumed office as president on May 6, 2010, after Yar’Adua died a day earlier.

Agida said reports suggesting Jonathan may be interested in the 2027 election informed the decision to approach the court.

“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 stated.

The plaintiff further argued that unless the court intervenes, a political party could nominate Jonathan for the election in violation of constitutional provisions.
According to the affidavit, if Jonathan contests and wins the election, he would be taking the presidential oath of office for the third time.

Agida maintained that the suit was filed in the public interest and to uphold the supremacy of the constitution and preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s constitutional order.

Earlier, on Thursday, Jonathan had said he was consulting on whether or not he should join the 2027 Presidential race.