Court Clears Jonathan To Contest 2027 Presidential Election, Dismisses Disqualification Suit
A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, cleared former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest for president in the 2027 general elections. Apparently, The presiding Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Peter Lifu, dismissed the eligibility suit against the former president by the plaintiff, Johnmary Jideobi.
Ndubuisi Ukpai stood in as counsel to the plaintiff.
Justice Peter Lifu had at the last sitting, fixed Tuesday, May 26, for judgment, including a ruling on an application by the plaintiff, Abuja-based lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, asking the judge to recuse himself from the case.
Jideobi had approached the court to determine “whether in view of the combined provisions of sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Jideobi contended that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional limit for the office of the president, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Yar’Adua before serving another full term after the 2011 elections.
Jideobi further filed an application urging Justice Lifu to recuse himself from the case, alleging bias, protesting that the court shortened the 14 days originally granted to respond to Jonathan’s counter-affidavit and preliminary objection.
However, Counsel to former President Jonathan, Chris Uche, SAN, in a counter-affidavit and preliminary objection, requested the court to dismiss the suit and award N50 million costs against the plaintiff.
The defence counsel made reference to previous judgments, in which the cases were dismissed.
Uche had argued that the amendment to Section 137(3) of the Constitution, restraining persons who had taken the oath of office more than twice from seeking the same office, could not be applied retroactively against Jonathan, who contested the 2015 election.
The defence counsel maintained that “He [Jideobi] has no locus standi to bring this action and no cause of action has crystallised.”
Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, represented by the Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Dr Maimuna Lamin Shiru, aligned with teh defence counsel to Jonathan in requesting the court to dismiss the suit.
