Court Rules Jonathan Eligible to Contest 2027 Presidential Election

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan remains eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election, a decision expected to reignite national debate over constitutional tenure limits and presidential succession in Nigeria.
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that there is currently no legal barrier preventing Jonathan from seeking the presidency again. The judge stated that the issue had already been substantially determined by the Court of Appeal and therefore could not be reopened through fresh litigation.
The court also dismissed a suit filed by Abuja-based lawyer Jideobi Johnmary, describing it as frivolous and an abuse of court process.
The legal action challenged Jonathan’s eligibility to seek another term as president based on the number of times he had taken the presidential oath of office.
Jonathan first assumed office as President in May 2010 following the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He later contested and won the 2011 presidential election.
The plaintiff argued that if Jonathan contested and won the 2027 election, he would effectively exceed the constitutional maximum of eight years permitted for a Nigerian president.
Relying on Section 137(3) of the amended 1999 Constitution, the suit sought an order preventing Jonathan from participating in any future presidential election. The plaintiff also requested that the court restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or recognising any future presidential candidacy from the former president.
However, Justice Lifu ruled that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the matter. He further stressed that the constitutional question had already been addressed and settled by the appellate court.
The ruling effectively reaffirmed that no constitutional provision currently disqualifies Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election should he decide to enter the race.
The debate over Jonathan’s eligibility has remained a contentious issue for years due to the unique circumstances surrounding his rise to power.
As vice president, Jonathan completed Yar’Adua’s tenure after the president died in office in 2010. He subsequently secured his own mandate in the 2011 election.
The controversy intensified following the introduction of Section 137(3) through the Fourth Alteration Act in 2018. The constitutional provision states that a person who takes the oath of office to complete another president’s tenure cannot subsequently be elected into the office more than once.
Critics argued that the amendment could disqualify Jonathan from contesting another election, while supporters maintained that the law could not be applied retroactively because Jonathan assumed office several years before the amendment came into effect.
The matter first received judicial clarification in 2022 when a Federal High Court in Yenagoa ruled that Jonathan remained eligible to seek office. The court held that applying the constitutional amendment against him would amount to retrospective application of the law.
That judgment was later upheld by the Court of Appeal, a precedent Justice Lifu relied upon in delivering Tuesday’s ruling.
Although Jonathan has not publicly declared any intention to run in 2027, the latest court decision is expected to intensify political discussions over a potential return to presidential politics.