Former President Goodluck Jonathan formally rejected a lawsuit aimed at preventing him from running in the 2027 presidential election.
Jonathan’s counsel, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), reminded Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja that the former president had already initiated the proper legal proceedings to challenge the claim.
He explained that Jonathan’s legal team acted quickly after learning about the situation through media reporting.
Uche contended that the appeal revolves upon the former president’s eligibility to run for office again in 2027, claiming that the subject has previously been resolved by the courts, including the Court of Appeal.
Ndubuisi Ukpai, counsel for the plaintiff, informed the court that he had only recently received Jonathan’s statement and wanted time to review the materials before filing a response.
Following the submissions, Justice Lifu adjourned the proceedings until May 11 to hear both the preliminary objection and the main suit.
The judge also ordered that hearing notices be sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation, both of whom were not present in court.
Lawyer Johnmary Jideobi filed the lawsuit, requesting that the court permanently bar Jonathan from running for president in 2027.
The complaint specifically demanded an order prohibiting the former president from presenting himself as a presidential candidate for any political party.
He also requested that the court block INEC from recognizing or publishing Jonathan’s name as a duly nominated candidate.
The complaint was filed on October 6, 2025, and names Jonathan as the primary defendant, with INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation joining as co-defendants.
The legal debate centers on whether Jonathan, who has taken the oath of office twice as president, is still constitutionally entitled to run for re-election under Sections 1 and 137(3) of the Nigerian Constitution.
The plaintiff claimed that INEC lacked the constitutional jurisdiction to approve Jonathan’s nomination for the 2027 election or any subsequent presidential contest.
He also requested an order directing the attorney general of the Federation “to ensure compliance with the decisions and orders of this court.”
In an affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Emmanuel Agida described the plaintiff as a constitutionalist and rule of law advocate who sought the court’s intervention to prevent what he saw as a potential constitutional infringement.
The declaration stated that Jonathan first took office as president on May 6, 2010, following the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, after previously serving as vice president. It also mentioned that he won the 2011 presidential election and served a full term.
According to the declaration, recent media sources suggest that Jonathan may contemplate running for president again in 2027.
The plaintiff claimed that by finishing Yar’Adua’s unexpired term and then serving a full elected term, Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms in office.
“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.”
He further suggested that if the court did not act, Jonathan might contest and even win the election, thus triggering constitutional disputes over presidential tenure limitations and eligibility.
On the issue of legal standing, the plaintiff argued that as a lawyer, he had a responsibility to avoid constitutional violations and preserve the rule of law, emphasizing that the case was brought in the public interest.
He urged the court to grant all of the requested reliefs in order to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
