Court Dismisses Suit Challenging Jonathan’s Eligibility For 2027 Presidential Poll
A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed a suit challenging the eligibility of Goodluck Jonathan to contest in the 2027 presidential election.
In the judgment on Tuesday, Peter Lifu, presiding judge, held that JohnMary Jideobi, the plaintiff, lacked the legal right to have instituted the suit, having not suffered any loss from Jonathan’s perceived intention to vie in next year’s poll.
The judge awarded a N20 million fine against Jideobi and in favour of the ex-president, and a one million fine against the plaintiff and in favour of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF).
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, Jideobi had prayed the court for an order restraining Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential Election.
The plaintiff argued that Jonathan, having completed the tenure of the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later served a full term after the 2011 elections, had exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms in office.
Jideobi asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate in the 2027 elections or any future presidential poll.
In the judgment, the judge noted that a federal high court in Yenagoa and an appeal court had already held that Jonathan was eligible to run.
Lifu said the judgments subsist and that he was bound by the decision of the appellate court.
The judge described the lawyer’s suit as “an abuse of court process”.
Lifu also dismissed Jideobi’s motion seeking the judge’s recusal from the case for being frivolous.
