Posted by Chinenye on Wed 15th Apr, 2026 - tori.ng
Fresh calls for Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election have triggered a legal firestorm in Abuja and Bayelsa.
(Goodluck Jonathan. Photo by. Arise News)
Fresh calls for Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election have triggered a legal firestorm in Abuja and Bayelsa. Amidst continuing realignments between opposition groups, there have been new calls for former President Goodluck Jonathan to run for president in 2027.
From 2007 until Yar'Adua's death in May 2010, Jonathan was the late President Umaru Yar'Adua's vice president. Following Yar'Adua's passing, Jonathan took the oath of office. He went on to win the 2011 presidential election, but former President Muhammadu Buhari defeated him in 2015.
Since leaving office, Jonathan has gained international recognition for conceding defeat in 2015 and ensuring a peaceful transfer of power.
Amid the internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party and reported efforts by opposition figures to court him, questions have emerged over his eligibility to contest again. However, some legal experts argue that provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) may prevent him from seeking another term.
PUNCH Online reviewed relevant provisions of the Constitution that have been central to the debate.
"A person who was sworn-in as President to complete the term for which another person was elected as President shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term," according to Section 137(3) of the Constitution, which was added by the Fourth Alteration in 2017.
However, it is unclear if Section 137(3) may be applied retroactively because it was passed in 2017, after Jonathan had left office.
Section 182(3) of the Constitution, which deals with governors, contains a similar clause. Section 182(3) states that “a person who was sworn-in as governor to complete the term for which another person was elected as governor shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”
Following a recent Federal High Court decision in Akure, Ondo State, which declared that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa would not be permitted to run for another term above the constitutional limit, the matter has received fresh attention.
After taking office in December 2023 to succeed the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa was elected in November 2024 and sworn in in February 2025.
Akin Egbuwalo, an APC member, filed a lawsuit asking the court to interpret tenure-limiting constitutional provisions.
The court relied on the Supreme Court's ruling in Marwa v. Nyako to hold that no elected executive can hold office for longer than what is allowed by the constitution. The ruling has been cited by some analysts as reinforcing the argument that individuals who complete a predecessor’s tenure and subsequently win election may not exceed the constitutional limit.
However, there is still disagreement among legal experts regarding whether Jonathan falls under the same interpretation, especially considering that the pertinent constitutional modification was made after his reign. The Aiyedatiwa ruling suggests Jonathan cannot contest again since the constitutional principle is the same.
However, this view has traditionally been disputed by numerous politicians and professionals, and a new court decision may be necessary to reach a final conclusion.