NB247
A lawyer, Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to issue an order of perpetual injunction, restraining former President Goodluck Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party in the country for the purpose of contesting the 2027 presidential election.
H also urged the court to bar the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from accepting from any political party, Jonathan’s name or publishing same as a duly nominated candidate for the presidential contest.
The suit has ex-President Jonathan as the 1st defendant, while both INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation, were listed as 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.
The suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/ 2025, posed a lone question for the court to determine, which is, “whether in view of the combined provisions of the entirety of Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and their conflated interpretation, the 1st Defendant is eligible, under any circumstances [whatsoever] to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”
Upon the determination of the question, the plaintiff, sought four principal reliefs, to wit:
“A declaration of this Honourable Court that upon an intimate reading and complete understanding of the entirety of Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended the first Defendant [GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN] is ineligible to stand for or occupy the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“A declaration of this Honorable Court that in view of the entirety of Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended the 2nd Defendant [the INEC] lacks the constitutional power to receive from any political party the name of the first defendant or publish same as the candidate of any political party for the election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria holding in 2027 and other years to come.
“An order of perpetual injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the first Defendant [Goodluck Ebele Jonathan] from presenting himself to any political party in Nigeria for nomination as its candidate for the general election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria holding in 2027 and other years to come.
“An order of perpetual injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the 2nd Defendant [INEC] from either accepting from any political party in Nigeria the name of the 1st Defendant [Goodluck Ebele Jonathan] or publishing same as a candidate for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria holding in 2027 and other years to come.”
The lawyer also sought for, “an order of this Honourable Court directing the 3rd Defendant [Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation] to ensure compliance with the decisions and Orders of this court.”
In an affidavit of facts that was deposed in support of the suit by one Emmanuel Agida, the plaintiff told the court that he is an advocate of constitutionalism and the rule of law.
He contended that if the 1st defendant, Jonathan, wins the 2027 presidential election, which is for a term of 4 years spanning 2027 to 2031, he would have exceeded 8 years being the cumulative maximum years a Nigerian President is statutorily permitted to stay in office.
Although Jonathan has yet to indicate publicly his intentions to run for President in 2027, calls from members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, urging him to join the race, has heightened speculations that he might run.
The former President’s meetings with some leaders of the ADC coalition has also confirmed fears of the plot to draft him into contesting against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, on Sunday called on Jonathan to stay away from the next presidential election.
Even though he asserted that the former President would be defeated if he attempted to run against the APC candidate, it was Oshiomhole’s opinion that it would be unwise for the former President to abandon his legacy of being a symbol of unity in the county.
