…as NDC breaks silence on rumoured pact with ex-president
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja is set to hear a suit today (Friday) seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The case was instituted on the grounds that Jonathan has allegedly exceeded the constitutional limit for holding the office of President of Nigeria.
The suit, filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, is asking the court to declare the former president ineligible to run again and to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate in next year’s general elections.
Recall that on Thursday, Jonathan had told a group of youths that he would consult widely before making a decision on calls urging him to contest the 2027 presidential election.
He had stressed that the race for Nigeria’s highest office “is not a computer game.”
The youth groups had visited Jonathan in his Abuja office to press him to join the presidential race. He told them he had taken note of their appeal but would not rush into a political decision without wide consultations.
Meanwhile, today, the Federal High Court in Abuja will hear the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, asking the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to seek the presidency again.
On April 28, Justice Peter Lifu, had ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on the defendants after they failed to file responses to the suit.
Jonathan is listed as the first defendant in the matter, while INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation are joined as second and third defendants, respectively.
The plaintiff is seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
He also prayed the court to stop INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate for the poll.
In the originating summons, the plaintiff asked the court to determine “whether in view of the combined provisions of sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Jideobi argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Yar’Adua before serving another full term after winning the 2011 presidential election.
The plaintiff, in an affidavit deposed to by Emmanuel Agida in support of the suit, stated that Jonathan was sworn in as president on May 6, 2010, following Yar’Adua’s death on May 5, 2010.
The affidavit added that reports suggesting Jonathan may contest the 2027 election informed the decision to approach the court.
“That the plaintiff believes that the 1st defendant, having completed the unexpired term of late President Yar’Adua and subsequently served a full term after the 2011 election, has exhausted the constitutional limit of two tenures as president,” the affidavit partly read.
The plaintiff further argued that if Jonathan contests and wins the 2027 election, he would be taking the presidential oath of office for the third time, contrary to the provisions of the Constitution.
Agida added that the suit was filed “in the public interest, in the defence of the rule of law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution, and to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian constitutional order.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria Democratic Congress has dismissed speculations that it has entered into a pact with Jonathan ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
NDC insisted that consultations on its presidential ticket are still ongoing.
It said it was keeping its doors open to high-profile politicians across party lines, including former governors, ex-ministers and serving lawmakers interested in joining its platform ahead of the next general elections.
On Thursday, NDC Deputy National Spokesman, Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, said the party had not zoned its presidential ticket and had yet to take any decision regarding a possible Jonathan candidacy.
He said the NDC remained committed to broad consultations and consensus-building as it positions itself as an emerging force in the country’s political landscape.
“The NDC is a party that believes in merging ideas and consultations across boards. I can categorically tell you that we have not zoned the presidential ticket. Consultations are still ongoing since politics is a dynamic game,” he said.
Abdulsalam added that the party was already attracting interest from influential political figures, including members of the ruling party.
He said, “As I speak to you, we are still expecting high-profile personalities, including former governors, ex-ministers, serving and former lawmakers, even from the ruling party.
“The NDC is the beautiful bride that everybody wants to have right now.”
Reacting to reports that the NDC could be considering Jonathan as its presidential flagbearer, Abdulsalam described the claims as mere speculation.
“This is another rumour making the rounds that former President Jonathan wants to pitch his tent in our party. There is no concrete move like that in the hierarchy of our party, and such a decision has not been taken,” he said.
But he noted that the former President remained constitutionally qualified to seek office on any political platform, if he so desired.
Abdulsalam added,
“But I can tell you that everything is still possible in the case of former President Jonathan.
“He is a Nigerian who is eminently qualified to fly the flag of the party on any platform of his choice. But as of today, we have no pact with him.”
