Court Clears Jonathan For 2027 Presidential Election

The court has cleared Jonathan for the 2027 presidential race.

NewsRain Nigeria reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Peter Lifu made the declaration while delivering judgment in a suit seeking to bar Jonathan from participating in future presidential elections, having taken the oath of office twice as president.

The judge described the suit as frivolous and a waste of judicial time, particularly after previous courts had already dismissed similar cases on the same subject.

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He cited earlier judgments in Andy Solomon v. Jonathan at the Federal High Court and Cyracus Njoku v. Jonathan at the Court of Appeal, aligning with the decisions and stating that he had “nothing else to add.”

Justice Lifu also expressed dismay that the plaintiff and his counsel continued with the suit despite being aware of the earlier judgments.

Recall that the suit, filed in October 2025, sought a determination on whether Jonathan remained constitutionally eligible to contest the presidency in 2027.

The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional two-term limit under Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, having completed the unexpired tenure of late President Umaru Yar’Adua between 2010 and 2011 before serving a full four-year term after winning the 2011 presidential election.

Jideobi had asked the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself as a presidential candidate and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate in the 2027 election or any future presidential contest.

The plaintiff also sought an order directing the Attorney General of the Federation to enforce the requested injunctions if granted.

During proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff maintained that Jonathan had served more than twice in office and was therefore constitutionally barred from seeking another term as president.

Jonathan, INEC, and the Attorney General of the Federation were listed as defendants in the suit.