A Federal High Court in Abuja will on Friday, May 8, hear a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to declare Jonathan ineligible to seek the presidency again under the 1999 Constitution.
Justice Peter Lifu had earlier directed that hearing notices be served on the defendants after they failed to file responses to the suit.
Jonathan is listed as the first defendant, while the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation are joined as second and third defendants.
The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election and preventing INEC from accepting or publishing his name for the poll.
In the originating summons, Jideobi asked the court to determine whether Jonathan is eligible to contest again under Sections 1 and 137(3) of the Constitution.
The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional two-term limit after completing the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and subsequently serving a full term following the 2011 presidential election.
According to an affidavit supporting the suit, Jonathan was sworn in as president on May 6, 2010, after Yar’Adua died on May 5, 2010.
The affidavit stated that reports suggesting Jonathan may contest the 2027 election prompted the legal action.
“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 read in part.
The plaintiff further argued that if Jonathan contests and wins the 2027 election, he would be taking the presidential oath of office for a third time, contrary to the Constitution.
Jideobi said the suit was filed in the public interest to uphold the rule of law and preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s constitutional order.
