A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election, dismissing a suit that sought to stop him from returning to office.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment on Tuesday, held that there was no constitutional barrier preventing Jonathan from seeking another term as president. The court also ruled that the issue of his eligibility had already been settled in earlier judgments by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
The suit was filed by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who argued that Jonathan would violate Nigeria’s constitutional two-term limit if he contested and won the 2027 election. The plaintiff maintained that Jonathan had already completed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s tenure before serving another elected term after the 2011 election.
However, the court dismissed the case as lacking merit and described it as an abuse of court process. Justice Lifu also ruled that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the suit.
In addition, the court awarded financial penalties against the plaintiff, including ₦20 million in favour of Jonathan and ₦1 million in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The ruling is expected to intensify political discussions ahead of the 2027 general election, especially amid growing speculation about Jonathan’s possible return to active politics. Although the former president has not officially declared his intention to run, several political groups and stakeholders have continued to pressure him to contest.
