The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a suit challenging former President Goodluck Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu also awarded a N20 million fine against the plaintiff, Johnmary Jideobi, who filed the suit based on a constitutional amendment prohibiting anyone from being sworn into the office of the president more than twice. The fine was awarded in favour of Mr Jonathan.
The judge also awarded a N1 million fine against the plaintiff and in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Justice Lifu held that Mr Jideobi lacked the legal right to institute the suit, having not suffered any loss from Mr Jonathan’s perceived intention to vie for the 2027 presidential election.
The judge said he was bound by the appellate court’s decision, as the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had already held that Mr Jonathan was eligible to run. He then described the lawyer’s suit as an abuse of court process.
Justice Lifu also dismissed the plaintiff’s motion seeking the judge’s withdrawal from the case for being frivolous.
The plaintiff had argued that Mr Jonathan, having been sworn in twice as president, cannot contest again in 2027 based on the provisions of the constitution. He also argued that the Independent National Electoral Commission lacks constitutional power to accept Jonathan’s nomination for the 2027 presidential election.
At the hearing of the case on May 18, Mr Jonathan and the AGF opposed the plaintiff’s motion urging the judge to withdraw from the case on grounds of alleged bias.
Mr Jonathan’s lawyer described the application as frivolous and an abuse of court process, urging the court to dismiss the application and proceed with the substantive suit. The AGF’s lawyer also called the application baseless, unmeritorious and an abuse of court process.
It remains unclear if Mr Jonathan, who lost power to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, is interested in recontesting the office in 2027. While he remains silent, about two weeks ago, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde announced him as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. Mr Jonathan has yet to announce his acceptance of the nomination.
During the 2023 election cycle that produced President Bola Tinubu, speculations were also rife that Mr Jonathan would seek reelection. He did not publicly speak about the subject then, nor did he obtain any political party’s nomination forms.
