RismadarVoice Reporters
May 7, 2026
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday, May 8, for a hearing in a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to seek the presidency again.
Justice Peter Lifu had earlier ordered that hearing notices be served on the defendants after they failed to respond to the suit.
Former President Jonathan is listed as the first defendant, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation are joined as second and third defendants respectively.
The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential candidate in 2027.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate for the election.
In the originating summons, Jideobi asked the court to determine whether Jonathan is eligible to contest again under the provisions of Sections 1 and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two presidential terms, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later serving a full term after winning the 2011 election.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Jonathan was sworn in as president on May 6, 2010, following Yar’Adua’s death on May 5, 2010.
The affidavit stated that reports suggesting Jonathan may contest the 2027 election prompted the legal action.
“The plaintiff believes that the 1st defendant, having completed the unexpired term of late President Yar’Adua and subsequently served a full term after the 2011 election, has exhausted the constitutional limit of two tenures as president,” the affidavit read in part.
The plaintiff further contended that if Jonathan contests and wins in 2027, he would be taking the presidential oath of office for a third time, contrary to constitutional provisions.
He said the suit was filed in the public interest and to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.
