The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled Friday, May 8, for the hearing of a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to run for the presidency again.
Justice Peter Lifu fixed the date after ordering that hearing notices be served on all parties following their failure to file responses to the suit.
Jonathan is listed as the first defendant in the case, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation are joined as second and third defendants respectively.
In the suit, the plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential candidate in the 2027 general election. He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate.
The plaintiff is asking the court to interpret Sections 1(1), (2) and (3) as well as Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution to determine whether Jonathan is eligible to contest again.
He argued that Jonathan had already served the maximum two terms allowed by the Constitution, having completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before winning the 2011 election and serving a full term thereafter.
According to an affidavit deposed to by Emmanuel Agida, Jonathan was sworn in as president on May 6, 2010, following Yar’Adua’s death on May 5, 2010.
The plaintiff further contended that if Jonathan contests and wins in 2027, it would amount to him taking the presidential oath of office for a third time, which he described as unconstitutional.
He added that the suit was filed in the public interest to uphold the rule of law and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s constitutional order, especially in light of reports suggesting the former president may enter the race.
