By Ayodele Oni & Akinwale Kasali
The coast is now clear for former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest for the Presidential seat in 2027 if he so desires.
This follows the ruling by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which cleared the former President to participate in the 2027 presidential race.
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, last week, offered a waiver to Jonathan and declared him the only presidential candidate of the party.
But a Johnmary Jideobi instituted a suit seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The plaintiff had earlier asked the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Jonathan’s name as a Presidential candidate.
He asked the Court to determine whether, having regard to Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan remains eligible to seek the office of president again.
But in his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Peter Lifu held that Jonathan could participate in the election as a contestant
The Honourable Justice Lifu held that there is no constitutional barrier preventing Jonathan from seeking another term in office.
The Judge stated that the issue of the former President’s eligibility had already been settled by the Court of Appeal.
The Court also dismissed the suit filed by the Abuja-based lawyer, Johnmary as frivolous and an abuse of clCourt process.
The Judge further ruled that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the case.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, the plaintiff argued that Jonathan was ineligible to contest because he had previously taken the presidential oath twice — first after the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later following his election in 2011.
The plaintiff asked the Court to determine whether, based on Sections 1 and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan could still contest for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, the plaintiff maintained that if Jonathan contested and won in 2027, he would exceed the constitutional maximum of eight years in office.
However, the Court rejected the argument and affirmed Jonathan’s constitutional eligibility to participate in the 2027 Presidential Race.
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