A lawyer in Abuja, Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi, has asked the Federal High Court to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from joining the 2027 presidential race.
In his suit, Jideobi told the court that Jonathan is no longer eligible to contest because he has already been sworn in as president two times, first in 2010, after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and again in 2011, when he won the election.
The lawyer explained that if Jonathan runs and wins in 2027, it would mean he has been sworn in three times, which he said goes against Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
He also asked the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to publish Jonathan’s name as a candidate and urged the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure the court’s decision is obeyed.
Jideobi said his action is to protect Nigeria’s Constitution and prevent any “unlawful extension of power.”
No hearing date has been fixed yet, but this case could shape future presidential term limits in Nigeria’s democracy.
