2027: Coast clears for Jonathan to contest against Tinubu

By Philippine Duru

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election, dismissing a suit seeking to bar him from returning to office.

The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, paves the way for the former president to contest against the incumbent President Bola Tinubu in the coming election.

Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that Jonathan could lawfully participate in the 2027 race and awarded financial penalties against the plaintiff, lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, for instituting what the court described as an abuse of court process.

Jideobi had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, asking the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential candidate in 2027. He also sought an order preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate.

The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two presidential tenures, having completed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s term and later won a full term in the 2011 election.

In an affidavit filed in support of the suit by Emmanuel Agida, the plaintiff maintained that allowing Jonathan to contest and potentially serve from 2027 to 2031 would exceed the cumulative maximum of eight years permitted for a Nigerian president under the 1999 Constitution.

“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 suit further argued that if Jonathan were elected and sworn in again, it would mark the third time he would be taking the presidential oath of office.

However, Justice Lifu ruled that Jideobi lacked the legal standing to institute the case because he had not demonstrated any personal injury or loss arising from Jonathan’s perceived ambition.

The judge also noted that both a Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had previously ruled that Jonathan remained constitutionally eligible to seek the presidency again, adding that he was bound by the appellate court’s decision.

Justice Lifu consequently dismissed the suit and imposed a N20 million fine against Jideobi in favour of Jonathan. The court also awarded an additional N1 million against the plaintiff in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The judge further dismissed a motion filed by Jideobi seeking his withdrawal from the case, describing the application as frivolous.

Meanwhile, a faction of the opposition led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki had last week reportedly offered Jonathan a waiver to emerge as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 election.