The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was asked on Monday to issue an order of perpetual injunction, restraining former President Goodluck Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party in the country for the purpose of contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The court was equally urged to bar the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting Jonathan’s name from any political party or publishing it as a duly nominated candidate for the presidential contest.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by a lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi.
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Ex-President Jonathan was cited as the 1st defendant, with INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation listed as the 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.
The plaintiff posed a lone question for the court to determine, focused on constitutional term limits:“Whether in view of the combined provisions of the entirety of Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and their conflated interpretation, the 1st Defendant is eligible, under any circumstances [whatsoever] to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”
The suit argues that if Jonathan wins the 2027 presidential election, which is for a term of four years (2027 to 2031), he would have “exceeded 8 years”—the “cumulative maximum years a Nigerian President is statutorily permitted to stay in office.”
Based on the determination of that question, the plaintiff sought four principal reliefs, including:
- A declaration that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is “ineligible” to stand for or occupy the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
- An order of “perpetual injunction” restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party for nomination for the 2027 general election.
- An order of “perpetual injunction” restraining INEC from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate for the 2027 election.
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