Currently weighing up a move to run for President in 2027 following overtures to that end by groups and political figures, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has formally challenged a suit filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to prevent him from contesting the presidential election.
Through his lawyer, Chris Uche SAN, the ex-President told Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to dismiss the suit, shortly after the matter was called for hearing today.
Jideobi, had filed the case, praying the court to bar Jonathan from contesting in the 2027 poll.
Citing constitutional grounds, Jideobi urged the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party in the country for the purpose of contesting in the election.
He also urged the court to restrain Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting from any political party, Jonathan’s name or publishing same as a duly nominated candidate for the election.
Jideobi, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, sued the former President as 1st defendant.
INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) were listed as 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.
But, Uche informed the court that a letter of conditional appearance, a notice of preliminary objection, a counter-affidavit and a written address had been filed on 5 May, 2026, praying the court to dismiss the case.
He said the ex-President and his legal camp got information about the case through the media and hence, the need to file their processes urgently, going by the importance of the matter, which centres on Jonathan’s eligibility to run for the office in the next election cycle.
The legal luminary described as unfortunate that such a suit was filed by a lawyer who should know more that the same matter had been decided by the Federal High Court up to the Court of Appeal, stopping short of calling the action as an abuse of court process.
Earlier, counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, informed the court that the matter was for mention but he was just being served by Jonathan’s lawyer.
He said he would need more time to respond.
Justice Lifu adjourned the matter to 11 May (Monday) for hearing of the former President’s objection and the substantive suit.
The judge also ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on INEC, and the AGF, as they were not in court.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Former President Jonathan.
