A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday declared that former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is still entitled to compete for the 2027 presidential election, dismissing a complaint attempting to bar him from contesting.
Delivering ruling, Justice Peter Lifu concluded that the plaintiff, Johnmary Jideobi, did not have the locus standi to bring the lawsuit as he failed to establish how he was personally injured by Jonathan’s purported wish to return to government.
The judge described the complaint as an abuse of judicial process, noting that the prior judgments of the Federal High judicial, Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had already established Jonathan’s qualification to re-contest the presidency.
The issue centered on a constitutional amendment that prohibits anyone from being inaugurated as president more than twice. However, the court held that the issue had been adequately settled by superior judicial decisions.
Justice Lifu also dismissed an application by the plaintiff requesting the withdrawal of the judge from the issue, calling the motion as frivolous.
The court also slammed a N20 million fine on the plaintiff in favour of Jonathan over what it described as a frivolous legal proceeding.
Jonathan, who served as president from 2010 to 2015, has been mentioned several times in speculation regarding a possible return to the presidential contest ahead of the 2027 elections.
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