A Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear a suit seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election amid renewed debate over constitutional term limits and speculation surrounding his possible return to active politics.
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 seek the presidency again.
Jonathan is listed as the first defendant in the case, while the Independent National Electoral Commission and the attorney-general of the federation are named as second and third defendants respectively.
Justice Peter Lifu had earlier ordered hearing notices to be issued and served on the defendants after some parties failed to file their responses.
The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential candidate in 2027, as well as an order preventing INEC from accepting or publishing his name for the election.
According to the suit, the court is being asked to determine whether, under Sections 1 and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan remains eligible to contest for the office of president.
Jideobi argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua following his death in 2010 and subsequently serving a full elected term after the 2011 presidential election.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, Emmanuel Agida, who deposed on behalf of the plaintiff, stated that reports suggesting Jonathan may contest in 2027 prompted the legal action.
The plaintiff maintained that allowing Jonathan to contest and potentially win the election would amount to taking the presidential oath for a third time, which he argued would violate constitutional provisions on tenure limits.
The case comes amid increasing political speculation over Jonathan’s future political plans, although the former president has not publicly declared any intention to run.
Recently, Jonathan urged young Nigerians to continue advocating for peaceful and credible elections, while also expressing concern over low voter turnout and the country’s leadership challenges.
“These countries people travel abroad to enjoy did not become like that overnight. Leaders after leaders planned for their grandchildren and built their countries,” he said at a recent event, where he linked Nigeria’s economic hardship and migration crisis to poor leadership and weak long-term planning.
