BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The legal battle to block former President Goodluck Jonathan’s potential 2027 comeback will be heard at the Federal High Court in Abuja today, reigniting a high-stakes showdown over constitutional term limits.
Amid mounting speculation about his possible political return, the lawsuit seeks to totally disqualify Jonathan from contesting the 2027 Presidential election.
Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, the case, filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, is asking the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to seek the Nigerian presidency again.
On April 28, Justice Peter Lifu had ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on the defendants, following the failure of some parties to file their responses with the Court.
The former President is listed as the first defendant in the suit, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) are named as second and third defendants respectively.
According to the plaintiff’s plea, the Court should issue an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate in the 2027 election, as well as an order barring INEC from accepting or publishing his name as a presidential candidate.
Furthermore, Jideobi asked the Court to determine “whether in view of the combined provisions of sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
He also argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional limit for the office, having completed the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua after his death in 2010 and subsequently serving another full term following the 2011 Presidential election.
An affidavit filed in support of the suit by Emmanuel Agida, who deposed on behalf of the plaintiff, said Jonathan’s reported interest in the 2027 election prompted the legal action.
The affidavit read: “That the plaintiff believes that the 1st defendant, having completed the unexpired term of late President Yar’Adua and subsequently served a full term after the 2011 election, has exhausted the constitutional limit of two tenures as president.”
Arguing that allowing Jonathan to contest and possibly win the election would amount to him taking the presidential oath for a third time, the Plaintiff said: “That if the court does not intervene timeously, a political party may present the 1st defendant as its presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, thereby breaching the constitution”.
The suit comes as Jonathan recently called on young Nigerians to continue advocating for peaceful and credible elections, stressing that peace remained critical to national development.
Meanwhile, the former President had at recent event in Abuja lamented low voter turnout in Nigeria, describing it as among the worst he had observed internationally.
He said: “I have observed elections in about 14 or more African countries. In some, I have been there two times, and even in South East Asia, Nigeria has the lowest turnout in every election cycle.”
On the current situation of things in the country, the Bayelsa-born ex-President said the deepening economic hardship and the exodus of Nigerian talents are not mere accidents, but the culmination of years of systemic failure, where poor leadership and a shocking lack of strategic planning have eroded national prosperity.
He stated that this toxic combination has trapped many in poverty and forced the youth to view migration as their only escape route, adding: “We urgently demand a shift toward visionary leadership that acts with empathy, prioritizing long-term development to transform Nigeria into a nation that inspires hope and provides a secure future for its young population.”
While urging leaders to build a country that inspires hope among young people, Jonathan said: “These countries people travel abroad to enjoy did not become like that overnight. Leaders after leaders planned for their grandchildren and built their countries.”
However, he stopped short of confronting the rumours surrounding a possible 2027 presidential comeback bid, even as the speculations continue to escalate in the public space.
