Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, have urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit seeking to prevent Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The matter, before Justice Peter Lifu, was fixed for judgment on May 26, alongside a ruling on an application by the plaintiff, Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the judge to withdraw from the case over alleged bias.
In the originating summons, Jideobi asked the court to interpret sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution to determine whether Jonathan is constitutionally eligible to run for president again.
He argued that Jonathan had already exhausted the constitutional limit, having first assumed office in 2010 following the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later winning the 2011 election for a full term.
In support of the suit, an affidavit deposed by Emmanuel Agida stated that Jonathan was sworn in on May 6, 2010, and again on May 29, 2011, after his electoral victory.
The plaintiff also accused the trial judge of bias, alleging that timelines for responses were shortened during proceedings.
Counsel to Jonathan, Chris Uche (SAN), however, urged the court to dismiss the suit and impose a cost of N50 million against the plaintiff, arguing that the case lacked merit and legal standing.
He referenced earlier dismissed cases on similar grounds and maintained that constitutional amendments relating to tenure limits could not be applied retroactively against Jonathan, who contested the 2015 election.
Uche further argued that the plaintiff lacked locus standi, describing the suit as politically motivated and without a valid cause of action.
He also stated that only a registered voter with a direct interest could properly institute such a case.
Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Justice, through its Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, Dr Maimuna Lamin Shiru, asked the court to dismiss the suit entirely.
However, counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, countered that being a registered voter was not a requirement to file the case and urged the court to dismiss all objections raised by Jonathan and the Ministry of Justice.