ABUJA, NIGERIA —

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ruled that former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan remains constitutionally eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election.

The judgment, delivered on Tuesday by Justice Peter Lifu, dismissed a suit seeking to prevent Jonathan from participating in the next presidential race.

The case was instituted by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who asked the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself as a presidential candidate and also sought an order preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or publishing his name for the 2027 election.

Jideobi urged the court to interpret provisions of Sections 1(1), 1(2), 1(3), and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution regarding Jonathan’s eligibility to seek office again.

However, Justice Lifu ruled in favour of the former president, holding that earlier judicial decisions had already affirmed Jonathan’s constitutional right to contest.

The judge noted that both a Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had previously ruled on the matter, adding that he was bound by those appellate decisions.

He subsequently described the fresh suit as “an abuse of court process” and dismissed it for being frivolous.

In addition, the court imposed a ₦20 million fine against the plaintiff’s counsel and awarded another ₦1 million in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Justice Lifu further held that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the suit because he had not demonstrated any direct injury or loss arising from Jonathan’s alleged presidential ambition.

The Constitutional Debate

The legal controversy surrounding Jonathan’s eligibility has remained a recurring political issue since the end of his administration in 2015.

Opponents of his potential return have consistently argued that Section 137(3) of the Constitution bars him from seeking another term because he completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua after Yar’Adua’s death in 2010 before later winning the 2011 presidential election.

Supporters of Jonathan, however, maintain that he was elected president only once and therefore remains constitutionally qualified to seek another term.

The latest ruling is expected to reignite political conversations ahead of the 2027 elections, especially following reports that a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki recently offered Jonathan a waiver to emerge as the party’s sole presidential candidate.

Political Implications Ahead of 2027

The court’s decision has already generated reactions across Nigeria’s political landscape, with analysts suggesting it could reshape early alignments ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.

Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, remains one of the country’s most recognised political figures both locally and internationally.

Although the former president has not officially declared any intention to run, the judgment removes a major constitutional obstacle that could have prevented a potential comeback bid.

As political calculations intensify across party lines, attention now shifts to whether Jonathan will eventually enter the race or continue to maintain silence over mounting speculation surrounding his political future.