Nigeria: Court Says Jonathan Eligible to Contest in 2027
Justice Peter Lifu said the plaintiff lacked standing and imposed N21 million in costs after ruling that earlier appeals already upheld Jonathan’s eligibility.
- On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit challenging former President Goodluck Jonathan's eligibility for the 2027 presidential election, with Justice Peter Lifu ruling that Jonathan could participate as a contestant.
- Plaintiff Johnmary Jideobi had argued that if Jonathan won the 2027 election spanning four years through 2031, he would exceed the eight-year cumulative maximum for Nigerian presidents under Sections 1, , and 137 of the 1999 Constitution.
- Jonathan's lawyer Mr. Uche called the application 'frivolous and an abuse of court process,' while Attorney-General's counsel Maimuna Lami-Shiru termed it 'baseless, unmeritorious and an abuse of court process'; Justice Lifu cited prior appellate decisions establishing Jonathan's eligibility.
- The court imposed N20 million in fines against Jideobi favoring Jonathan and N1 million against the plaintiff favoring the Attorney-General, finding Jideobi lacked legal standing having suffered no loss from Jonathan's perceived candidacy intentions.
- Jonathan remains silent on accepting his candidacy despite competing PDP factions nominating him two weeks ago with backing from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and a separate waiver offered last week by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki's faction.
28 Articles
28 Articles
BREAKING: Jonathan eligible to recontest for president, court rules
The court awarded a whopping N21 million fine against the plaintiff, who challenged Mr Jonathan's eligibility to recontest for president under a constitutional amendment introduced some years ago. The post BREAKING: Jonathan eligible to recontest for president, court rules appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Court says Jonathan eligible to contest in 2027
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, ABUJA The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has affirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election. The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, held that there was no legal impediment preventing Jonathan from seeking a return to the presidency. Justice Lifu held that the issue of Jonathan’s eligibility had already been decided by the Court of Appeal. He di…
Jonathan free to contest 2027 election, court rules
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has cleared former President Goodluck Jonathan to participate in the 2027 presidential race. A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, last week offered a waiver to Jonathan as the only presidential candidate of the party. But one Johnmary Jideobi had instituted a suit seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as …
Jonathan’s Eligibility: PDP Hails Federal High Court’s Ruling as Party Set for Primaries May 28
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, affirming that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is eligible to contest for the presidency in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, news.ng reports. In a statement issued by the PDP’s Interim National Working Committee, National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong said the judgment serves as a deterrent to persons allowing …
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