The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja will today hear a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election, amid renewed debate over constitutional term limits and growing speculation about his possible political return.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to seek the presidency again.
Justice Peter Lifu had, on April 28, ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on the defendants, following the failure of some parties to file their responses.
Jonathan is listed as the first defendant in the suit, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) are named as second and third defendants respectively.
The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate in the 2027 election, as well as an order barring INEC from accepting or publishing his name as a presidential candidate.
Jideobi asked 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”.
The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional limit for the office, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua after his death in 2010 and subsequently serving another full term following the 2011 election.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Emmanuel Agida, who deposed on behalf of the plaintiff, said Jonathan’s reported interest in the 2027 election prompted the legal action.
“That 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.
The plaintiff further argued that allowing Jonathan to contest and possibly win the election would amount to him taking the presidential oath for a third time.
“That if the court does not intervene timeously, a political party may present the 1st defendant as its presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, thereby breaching the constitution,” the affidavit added.
The suit comes as Jonathan recently called on young Nigerians to continue advocating for peaceful and credible elections, stressing that peace remained critical to national development.
Speaking at an event, the former president lamented low voter turnout in Nigeria, describing it as among the worst he had observed internationally.
“I have observed elections in about 14 or more African countries. In some, I have been there two times, and even in South East Asia, Nigeria has the lowest turnout in every election cycle,” he said.
Jonathan also linked Nigeria’s economic hardship and migration crisis to years of poor leadership and weak long-term planning, urging leaders to build a country that inspires hope among young people.
“These countries people travel abroad to enjoy did not become like that overnight. Leaders after leaders planned for their grandchildren and built their countries,” he said.
He, however, did not directly address speculations about a possible 2027 presidential bid, saying he was still consulting.
