A legal bid to prevent former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election has been adjourned until 11 May by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Peter Lifu postponed proceedings on Friday after counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, told the court he had only recently been served with a preliminary objection filed by the defence and required time to respond.
The suit has reignited long-running constitutional arguments over Jonathan’s eligibility to return to office, with the plaintiff seeking judicial clarification on whether the former president can lawfully contest another presidential election under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
Proceedings took an early turn when Jonathan’s lawyer, Chris Uche, told the court he had first learned of the case through media reports and had since been working to ensure the former president’s legal filings were properly entered before the court.
Uche also questioned why the matter had resurfaced, arguing that courts had previously considered similar constitutional questions surrounding Jonathan’s eligibility.
Neither the Independent National Electoral Commission nor the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, both listed as respondents in the suit, were represented during Friday’s proceedings.
After hearing submissions from the parties present, Justice Lifu ordered that hearing notices be properly served on all respondents before the next sitting.
The suit was filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, who is seeking a declaration that Jonathan is constitutionally barred from seeking the presidency again.
The plaintiff is also asking the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 election and to prohibit INEC from accepting or publishing his name as a presidential contender.
At the centre of the dispute is the interpretation of sections 1 and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, particularly whether Jonathan’s previous time in office exhausted the constitutional limit on presidential tenure.
Jideobi argues that Jonathan effectively served two terms after completing the tenure of the late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua following his death in 2010 and subsequently winning the 2011 presidential election.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Emmanuel Agida, who deposed on behalf of the plaintiff, said the legal action became necessary following reports that Jonathan was considering another presidential bid.
According to the plaintiff, allowing Jonathan to contest and potentially win the presidency again would amount to taking the presidential oath of office for a third time, which he argues is prohibited by the constitution.
Justice Lifu had earlier directed that hearing notices be served on all defendants after observing that several parties had yet to file responses in the case.
The court is now expected to resume hearing on 11 May as the legal and political controversy surrounding Jonathan’s potential return to presidential politics continues to unfold.
