Jonathan was recently offered a waiver to be the sole presidential candidate of the PDP by the Turaki-led faction of the party.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
He made the declaration while delivering his verdict in a suit seeking to bar Jonathan from participating in future presidential elections, having already taken the oath of office twice as president.
Earlier, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki had offered a waiver to Jonathan, positioning him as the sole presidential candidate of the party.
However, a plaintiff identified as Johnmary Jideobi approached the court and instituted a suit seeking an order restraining the former president from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential candidate in 2027.
The plaintiff had earlier asked the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing, or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
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He asked the court to determine whether, having regard to Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan remains eligible to seek the office of president again.
But in his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Lifu held that Jonathan could participate in the election as a contestant.
He noted that the suit was a waste of the court’s precious time because both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had already resolved the eligibility of the Bayelsa State-born politician.
Lifu said, “I am bound by the above decision of the Court of Appeal and this court; I have no more to add.”
He went on to slam a cost of ₦20 million against the plaintiff in favour of Jonathan, and ₦1 million in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
