The legal process seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking reelection in 2027 begins today.
Thescale.com.ng gathered that an Abuja Federal High Court has fixed today Friday, May 8, 2026 for the hearing of a suit filed to stop the former President from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The suit, filed by Johnmary Jideobi asked the court to declare Jonathan ineligible to run for president again under the Nigerian Constitution.
The plaintiff also sought an order restraining Jonathan from joining any political party as a presidential candidate and stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing his name for the election.
Jideobi wants 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”.
According to him, in the suit, Jonathan had already completed the remaining tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua after he died in 2010 and later won another full term in 2011.
In an affidavit supporting the case, Emmanuel Agida said reports linking Jonathan to the 2027 election prompted the plaintiff to take the legal action.
“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,” the affidavit stated, adding that:
“In the event the 1st defendant is returned as elected and sworn as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2027, it will mark the 3rd time the 1st defendant will be taking the oath of office as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Agida said the suit was filed in the public interest, in defence of the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution, and to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian constitutional order.
Meanwhile, the former President has disclosed that he will consult widely before diving into the 2027 Presidential Race. An answer he had always given when calls for him to participate persist.
He made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja when a group of supporters marched to his office calling on him to contest the presidential election.
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He told them: “Presidential race is not a computer game, but I heard you, and I will consult widely, but the most important thing in Nigeria is that the young people will have in Nigeria that will plan for our grandchildren.
“I don’t even know how old some of you were when I was a President, but the key thing is peace in this country, and you will continue to advocate for that, and you continue to advocate for peaceful and credible elections in the country, because if we don’t have peaceful and credible elections, most good citizens will not want to bother get involved in politics.
“And as youths, you will continue to advocate for that. It’s very dear to us peaceful election, and indeed you as young people must continue to be fully involved in the electoral processes, especially your right to vote.”
