Court to hear lawsuit on Jonathan’s eligibility to contest 2027 President poll

Court to hear lawsuit on Jonathan’s eligibility to contest 2027 President poll

Ebun Emmanuel –May 7,2026

The Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear a suit challenging the eligibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election.

The case, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was instituted by an Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to declare that Jonathan is constitutionally barred from seeking the office of president again.

Justice Peter Lifu fixed Friday, May 8, for hearing in the matter after ordering that hearing notices be served on all parties involved following the failure of the defendants to file responses within the required timeframe.

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

The plaintiff is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the former president from presenting himself to any political party for nomination ahead of the 2027 election.

He also asked the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate for the presidential election.

Jideobi argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutionally allowed two terms after completing the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and subsequently serving another full term following his victory in the 2011 presidential election.

An affidavit filed in support of the suit by Emmanuel Agida stated that Jonathan first took the presidential oath of office on May 6, 2010, following the death of Yar’Adua a day earlier.

The plaintiff further contended that if Jonathan contests and wins the 2027 election, he would effectively be taking the presidential oath of office for the third time, which he argued would violate constitutional provisions governing tenure limits.

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.”