Court declares Jonathan eligible to run in 2027 election.

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, ABUJA

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to run in the 2027 presidential election.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court found no legal barrier to Jonathan’s candidacy.

Justice Lifu noted that the question of Jonathan’s eligibility had already been decided by the Court of Appeal.

The court dismissed the lawsuit filed by Abuja-based lawyer Mr Jideobi Johnmary as frivolous and an abuse of the court process, stating that the plaintiff lacked locus standi.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, questioned Jonathan’s eligibility on the basis that he had already been sworn in as president twice. The plaintiff asked the court to determine whether, under Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Jonathan could contest for the presidency under any circumstances.

He sought several orders, including a perpetual injunction preventing Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party for nomination in the 2027 election, restraining INEC from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate, and directing the Attorney-General to enforce the court’s orders.

In an affidavit by Emmanuel Agida, the plaintiff argued that if Jonathan won the 2027 election, he would exceed the statutory limit of eight cumulative years in office. The plaintiff claimed that Jonathan had already completed the unexpired term of late President Yar’Adua and served a full term after the 2011 election, thereby exhausting the constitutional limit of two tenures. The plaintiff warned that a political party could present Jonathan as a candidate in 2027, breaching the Constitution, and that if elected, it would be his third oath of office.

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