A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled judgment for May 26 on a suit querying ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu confirmed the date after listening to arguments from lawyers to parties in the suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi.
Jonathan’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), while arguing both his client’s counter affidavit and preliminary objection, prayed the court to dismiss the suit with a cost of N50 million.
Uche cited two previous judgments – the Federal High Court case between Andy Solomon and Jonathan, and the Court of Appeal case between Cyracus Njoku and Jonathan – which he said were dismissed.
He argued that the amendment to Section 137(3) of the Constitution, which bars officials who had sworn to an oath previously for more than twice from seeking the same office, cannot be applied retroactively against Jonathan, who contested in 2015.
Uche equally argued that Jideobi was trying to weaponise litigation as a means of political exclusion when the Constitution grants every qualified citizen the right to seek the highest office in the land.
“He (Jideobi) has no locus standi to bring this action and no cause of action has crystallised,” Jonathan’s lawyer said.
He added that for Jideobi to have locus, he must demonstrate how it affects him directly, and show he is a registered voter to show he is interested in who governs him.
Lawyer to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Dr Maimuna Lamin Shiru, the Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law at the Federal Ministry of Justice, equally prayed the court to dismiss Jideobi’s claim in its entirety.
Plaintiff’s lawyer, Ndubuisi Ukpai, contended that being a registered voter is not a condition for bringing the suit before the court.
Ukpai urged the court to dismiss the objections and counter affidavit of Jonathan and the AGF.
Earlier, both Uche and Lami-Shiru urged the court to equally dismiss a motion filed by the plaintiff, praying the judge to withdraw from the case over alleged bias.
Jideobi, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, urged 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, Jonathan is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms, having completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before serving another full term after winning the 2011 presidential election.
The plaintiff wants the court to issue an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 election, and to stop INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.