Court Set to Hear Suit Seeking to Bar Goodluck Jonathan from Contesting 2027 Presidential Election

(Former Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. photo by TVC News)

A complaint aiming to prevent former President Goodluck Jonathan from running for president in 2027 will be heard by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, May 8.

Attorney Johnmary Jideobi filed the lawsuit, requesting that the court rule that Jonathan is not qualified to run for president again in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution.

In addition, Jideobi requested an order prohibiting Jonathan from running for president with any political party and preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or disclosing his name.

The lawsuit named Jonathan, INEC, and the Federation's Attorney General as defendants.

The plaintiff requested that the court decide "whether the first defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in light of the combined provisions of sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution."

The lawsuit claims that Jonathan had already served out the remaining term of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, who passed away in 2010 and was re-elected to a full term in 2011.

Emmanuel Agida stated in an affidavit supporting the case that the plaintiff filed a lawsuit because of reports that connected Jonathan to the 2027 election.

According to the affidavit, "the plaintiff believes that the first defendant has exhausted the constitutional limit of two tenures as president, having completed the unexpired term of late President Yar'Adua and subsequently served a full term following the 2011 election."

Additionally, he issued a warning: "A political party may present the first defendant as its presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, thereby breaching the Constitution, if the court does not intervene promptly."

The document further claimed that Jonathan would take the oath of office a third time if he ran and won.

The affidavit continued, "If the first defendant is re-elected and sworn in as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2027, it will be the third time the first defendant will be taking the oath of office as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

According to Agida, the lawsuit was brought in the public interest, to uphold the integrity of the Nigerian constitutional order, and to defend the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution.