By Paul Joseph
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation have urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit seeking to bar the former Nigerian leader from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu fixed May 26 for judgment in the matter, including a ruling on an application filed by the plaintiff, Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, requesting the judge to withdraw from the case over alleged bias.
The suit is asking the court to determine whether Jonathan is constitutionally qualified to seek the presidency again under the provisions of Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
Jideobi argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit after completing the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua following his death in 2010 and subsequently serving a full elected term after winning the 2011 presidential election.
According to court filings, Jonathan first took the oath of office as president on May 6, 2010, before being sworn in again on May 29, 2011, after emerging victorious in the presidential poll.
The plaintiff also accused the court of bias, claiming the judge reduced the initial 14-day period granted for him to respond to Jonathan’s counter-affidavit and preliminary objection.
However, Jonathan’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), asked the court to dismiss the suit and award N50 million in costs against the plaintiff.
Uche argued that previous suits challenging Jonathan’s eligibility had already been dismissed by the courts and maintained that the constitutional amendment under Section 137(3), which bars anyone who has taken the presidential oath more than twice from contesting again, could not be applied retroactively against the former president.
He further contended that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the action, insisting that no valid cause of action had arisen against Jonathan.
According to him, the suit was an attempt to use the judiciary as a political tool to prevent Jonathan from exercising his constitutional rights.
Counsel representing the Attorney General of the Federation, Dr. Maimuna Lamin Shiru, also urged the court to dismiss the case in its entirety.
But the plaintiff’s lawyer, Ndubuisi Ukpai, maintained that being a registered voter was not a requirement for filing the suit and asked the court to reject the objections raised by Jonathan and the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The case has continued to generate political and legal debate ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly over the interpretation of constitutional term limits for former presidents.
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