Former President Goodluck Jonathan has formally challenged a suit seeking to bar him from contesting the 2027 presidential election, insisting that no constitutional provision prevents him from seeking the office again.
Through his lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), Jonathan urged Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the suit filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi.
Uche informed the court that Jonathan’s legal team had already filed a conditional appearance, notice of preliminary objection, counter affidavit and written address on May 5, 2026, arguing that the case lacked merit.
According to the former president, he has not been elected president more than once and merely completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua following Yar’Adua’s death in office.
Jonathan argued that the constitutional amendment relied upon by the plaintiff came into effect in 2018, three years after he left office in 2015, and therefore cannot apply retroactively.
“The first defendant is eminently entitled and constitutionally free to contest election to the office of President in 2027, if he decides to do so,” the court filing stated.
The legal team further maintained that courts had previously ruled on the issue, citing earlier judgments which held that Jonathan’s completion of Yar’Adua’s tenure did not amount to an elected presidential term under the Constitution.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who asked the court to determine whether Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional two-term limit for presidents.
Jideobi argued that Jonathan completed Yar’Adua’s tenure before winning the 2011 presidential election, thereby making him ineligible to contest again.
He is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential candidate and also asking the court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or publishing his name for the 2027 election.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, told the court he had just been served Jonathan’s response and requested more time to study the documents.
Justice Peter Lifu subsequently adjourned the matter to May 11 for hearing of both the preliminary objection and the substantive suit, while also directing that hearing notices be served on the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
