By Jane Okafor, Abuja
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has formally challenged a suit seeking to bar him from contesting the 2027 presidential election, insisting the case should be dismissed because the matter had already been settled by the courts.
Jonathan, through his lawyer, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), told a Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday that the legal team had filed a conditional appearance, preliminary objection, counter-affidavit and written address urging the court to throw out the suit.
The case, filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, seeks an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself as a presidential candidate in the 2027 election.
Speaking before Justice Peter Lifu, Uche said Jonathan only became aware of the suit through media reports, prompting the urgent filing of legal processes because of the significance of the matter, which borders on the former president’s eligibility to seek office again.
He described the suit as unfortunate, arguing that previous judgments by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had already addressed the issue.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, however, told the court that he had just been served with Jonathan’s response and needed time to study the documents before replying.
Justice Lifu subsequently adjourned the matter until May 11 for hearing of Jonathan’s objection and the substantive suit.
The judge also directed that hearing notices be served on the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney General of the Federation, listed as the second and third defendants in the case.
In the suit, Jideobi is asking the court to prevent INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two tenures after completing the term of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua following his death in 2010 and later serving a full four-year term after winning the 2011 election.
An affidavit supporting the suit, deposed to by Emmanuel Agida, stated that speculation about Jonathan’s possible interest in the 2027 race prompted the legal action.
According to the affidavit, allowing Jonathan to contest and possibly win would amount to taking the presidential oath of office for a third time, contrary to constitutional provisions.
The plaintiff maintained that the suit was filed in the public interest to protect the supremacy of the Constitution and safeguard Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
Earlier, The Daily Crucible reported that Jonathan said he was still consulting on whether to join the 2027 presidential race, stressing that a presidential election in Nigeria is not a computer game
