Lawyer files suit to stop Jonathan from contesting 2027 election

A lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, on Monday, October 6, 2025, filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting 2027 presidential election.

Citing constitutional grounds, Jideobi urged the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction, restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party in the country for the purpose of contesting in the poll.

He also urged the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting from any political party, Jonathan’s name or publishing same as a duly nominated candidate for the election.

Jideobi had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, sued the former president as 1st defendant.

In the suit dated and filed on Oct. 6, the lawyer joined INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.

He sought one question for determination, “Whether in view of the combined provisions of the entirety Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and their conflated interpretation, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances [whatsoever] to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”

Citing Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the lawyer argued that INEC lacks the constitutional power to receive from any political party the name of the Jonathan for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria holding in 2027 and other years to come.

“An order of this Honourable Court directing the 3rd defendant (AGF) to ensure compliance with the decisions and orders of this court,” he stated.

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In an affidavit of facts that was deposed in support of the suit by one Emmanuel Agida, the plaintiff told the court that he is an advocate of constitutionalism and the rule of law.

He told the court that the 1st defendant was first sworn in as President on May 6, 2010, following the death of then President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on the May 5, 2010, having previously been the Vice-President.

He said he recently saw on various national dailies and television stations, reports on Jonathan’s intention to contest for presidency in 2027.

The lawyer added: “That 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.

“That if the court does not intervene timeously, a political party may present the 1st defendant as its presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, thereby breaching the constitution.”

The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge as of press time.

The Star