A lawyer has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to bar former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting in the 2027 presidential election.
The case, brought by legal practitioner Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi, also asks the court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate for any political party.
Mr Jonathan is listed as the first defendant, while INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation are the second and third defendants, respectively.
The suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, is based on sections of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which limit how long a person can serve as president. The central question before the court is whether Mr Jonathan is constitutionally eligible to run for office again.
The plaintiff is asking the court to issue four major rulings, including a declaration that Jonathan is ineligible to contest and an order permanently restraining him from seeking nomination by any political party.
He also wants the court to bar INEC from receiving or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate, and to compel the Attorney General to enforce the court’s decision if the injunction is granted.
In an affidavit supporting the case, Emmanuel Agida argued that allowing Jonathan to run again would exceed the constitutionally permitted maximum of eight years in office if he were to win the 2027 election.
The court is expected to fix a date to hear the matter.