Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
A Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to run for president again.
Justice Peter Lifu had earlier ordered hearing notices to be served on the defendants after some parties reportedly failed to file their responses within the required time.
Jonathan is listed as the first defendant in the suit, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation are named as second and third defendants respectively.
The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential candidate in the 2027 election. He also asked the court to stop INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate.
According to the suit, Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit for the office after completing the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua following his death in 2010 and later serving another full term after the 2011 election.
The plaintiff further argued that if Jonathan contests and wins again, it would amount to taking the presidential oath of office for a third time, which he claims violates the constitution.
The case comes amid growing speculation over Jonathan’s possible return to frontline politics ahead of the 2027 general elections. Jonathan recently stated that he would “consult widely” before deciding whether to contest the presidency again.
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
And in a related development, former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, May 8, 2026, challenged a suit filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to restrain him from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Jonathan, through his lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu, shortly after the matter was called for hearing, that a letter of conditional appearance, a notice of preliminary objection, a counter-affidavit, and a written address had been filed on May 5, praying the court to dismiss the case.
He said they got information about the case through the media, hence the need to file their processes urgently, considering the importance of the matter, which centres on the eligibility of the former president to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Uche said it was unfortunate that such a suit was filed by a lawyer who should know that the same matter had already been decided by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Earlier, counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, informed the court that the matter was for mention, but that he had just been served with Jonathan’s processes and would need time to study them to enable him respond appropriately.
Justice Lifu adjourned the matter till Monday, May 11, by 2 p.m. for hearing of the former president’s objection and the substantive suit.
The judge also ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who are the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter and were not in court.