A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has affirmed that former President Goodluck Jonathan is constitutionally eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election, clearing legal doubts surrounding his possible return to the ballot.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court held that there is no constitutional or legal barrier preventing Jonathan from seeking election, noting that earlier judicial pronouncements by the Court of Appeal had already settled the matter.
The court consequently dismissed the suit challenging his eligibility, describing it as frivolous and an abuse of court process. It also ruled that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to institute the action.
The case, filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Jideobi Johnmary, had argued that Jonathan’s previous tenures as both acting and elected president disqualified him from another attempt under constitutional term limits.
He had urged the court to restrain the former president from seeking nomination and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting his candidacy for the 2027 polls.
However, the court’s ruling effectively nullified the challenge, stating that the arguments presented carried no legal weight.
With the judgment, the legal pathway remains open for Jonathan should he choose to re-enter the political arena ahead of the 2027 elections, a development already generating renewed political debate across the country.