“Court Asked To Stop Jonathan From Contesting 2027” — Ex-President, AGF Fight Back

Fresh political and legal drama has emerged ahead of the 2027 elections as former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Ministry of Justice asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to stop Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

The case was filed by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit for serving as Nigeria’s president.

Why The Lawsuit Was Filed

According to the suit, Jonathan first became president on May 6, 2010, after the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

He later contested and won the 2011 presidential election, serving another full term afterward.

The plaintiff argued that allowing Jonathan to contest again in 2027 would violate constitutional provisions limiting how many times a person can occupy the office of president.

The suit asked the court to determine whether Jonathan remained eligible “under any circumstances whatsoever” to run again.

Jonathan’s Lawyers Reject The Case

Jonathan’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the suit completely and even requested ₦50 million costs against the plaintiff.

According to him, similar cases filed in the past against Jonathan had already been dismissed by Nigerian courts.

He also argued that constitutional amendments restricting people who had taken the presidential oath more than twice could not be applied retroactively against Jonathan.

Uche further accused the plaintiff of trying to use the courts as a political tool to stop Jonathan from exercising his constitutional rights.

“He has no locus standi to bring this action,” the lawyer argued.

AGF Also Wants Case Dismissed

The Attorney General of the Federation also supported Jonathan’s position.

A representative from the Ministry of Justice, Dr Maimuna Lamin Shiru, asked the court to dismiss the suit entirely.

However, the plaintiff’s lawyer insisted that the case raised important constitutional questions and argued that being a registered voter was not necessary before challenging the eligibility of a presidential aspirant in court.

Judge Fixes Judgment Date

Justice Peter Lifu has now fixed May 26 for judgment.

The court is expected to rule not only on the main case but also on a separate request by the plaintiff asking the judge to withdraw from the matter over alleged bias.

Political Reactions Already Building

The case has already generated discussions online and among political observers, especially as rumours continue to circulate about whether Jonathan may eventually return to active presidential politics ahead of 2027.

Although Jonathan has not officially declared any intention to contest, the lawsuit has further fueled speculation about his possible political future.