Jonathan Plans To Appear In Court Friday Over Eligibility Suit, Then Declare 2027 Presidential Bid – Report

Former President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday in connection with a lawsuit seeking to bar him from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who argues that Jonathan is constitutionally ineligible to run again, having already been sworn in as president twice. Under the Nigerian Constitution, a president may serve a maximum of two terms.

Justice Peter Lifu had, on April 28, ordered that hearing notices be served on the defendants after they failed to file their responses within the stipulated time.

Jonathan is listed as the first defendant, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation are named as second and third defendants.

The plaintiff is asking the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself as a candidate to any political party and to stop INEC from accepting or publishing his name for the 2027 election.

In his filing, Jideobi argued thatJonathan has already exhausted the constitutional limit for the office of president, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who died in 2010 and subsequently serving a full four-year term after winning the 2011 election.

An affidavit in support of the suit, deposed to by Emmanuel Agida, noted that Jonathan assumed office on May 6, 2010, following Yar’Adua’s death the previous day.

Agida explained that reports suggesting Jonathan may be interested in the 2027 race prompted the legal action.

According to him, the “1st defendant (Jonathan), 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.”

Meanwhile, sources told SaharaReporters that Jonathan is planning not only to appear in court on Friday but also to declare his ambition to run for president in 2027, including the political party under which he intends to seek another term.

“GEJ is planning to appear in court tomorrow, Friday, over a lawsuit seeking to bar him from contesting after which he will declare his presidential ambition and party platform that he intends to use,” a source said.

Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president between 2011 and 2015 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lost his reelection bid to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that Jonathan may formally join the 2027 presidential race on Friday.

On Thursday, Jonathan gave the clearest indication yet of a possible return, telling a group of youths who urged him to contest that he would consult widely before making a final decision.

Responding to the calls, the former president described the presidential race as a serious undertaking and not something to be approached lightly.

“Presidential race is not a computer game. But I’ve heard you, and I’ll consult widely. But the most important thing is in Nigeria, that the young people will have hope,” Jonathan said. (SaharaReporters)