Lawyer asks court docket to cease Jonathan from contesting 2027 election

A contemporary authorized motion has been instituted earlier than the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja, searching for to cease former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

The go well with, filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi, is praying the court docket to subject an order of perpetual injunction restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political occasion for nomination as a presidential candidate.

The plaintiff can also be asking the court docket to bar the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s title as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

Whereas Jonathan is listed as the first defendant, INEC and the Legal professional-Normal of the Federation (AGF) are cited because the 2nd and third defendants, respectively.

The go well with, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, is asking the court docket to find out: “Whether or not, in view of the mixed provisions of Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Structure (as amended), the first Defendant is eligible underneath any circumstances in anyway to contest for the workplace of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Upon dedication of the query, the plaintiff seeks the next principal reliefs:

A declaration that Jonathan is constitutionally ineligible to contest or occupy the workplace of the President once more, having already held the place.

A declaration that INEC lacks the facility to just accept or publish Jonathan’s title as a presidential candidate in 2027 or any future election.

An order of perpetual injunction restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political occasion for nomination as a presidential candidate.

An order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s title as a presidential candidate in any future election.

An order directing the Legal professional-Normal of the Federation to make sure compliance with any determination or orders of the court docket.

In an affidavit deposed to by Emmanuel Agida, the plaintiff described himself as an advocate of constitutionalism and the rule of regulation.

He argued that permitting Jonathan to contest once more would violate the constitutional restrict of two presidential phrases.

In response to him, if the previous president wins the 2027 election and serves one other four-year time period, he would have exceeded the utmost eight years permitted underneath the 1999 Structure.