*Will Tinubu Be Loser In Multiplicity Of Southern Candidates’ Claim?
By our reporter
Former President Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is free to run, again, for the nation’s highest office in 2027, the Federal High Court today ruled.
Insiders in his camp told People&Politics that the former President (2010-11; 2011-15) will, any moment from now, openly declare his intention to seek the country’s number one seat again even as certain steps are said to have already been taken by him towards that end within his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The court sitting in Abuja consequently struck out a suit seeking to prevent Jonathan from contesting in next year’s presidential election.
The court said it based its verdict on earlier judicial pronouncements.
According to the court, previous judgments delivered by the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and upheld by the Court of Appeal had already settled the issue regarding the former President’s constitutional eligibility to seek another term in office.
Jonathan’s entry into the presidential fray may add a shade of complexion to the 2027 race and could, in the thinking of some political camps, put some flesh to weekend’s claim by former governor of Ogun State and President Bola Tinubu’s ally, Segun Osoba, of a coordinated strategy to produce multiple candidates from the Southern part of Nigeria and so weaken Tinubu’s base.
Osoba said already Peter Obi, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, is in the race; same as Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, and possibly Jonathan.
He did not, however, say who or what group are behind the said strategy or indeed, which of the presidential candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, who is presently leading in the primary of opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), and is from the North, will most likely benefit from a Southern candidate multiplicity.
Recall that then-Vice President Jonathan became President on 6 May, 2010 following the death in office of his boss, President Umar Yar’Adua, in consonance with Section 146 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which spells out presidential succession.
Consequently, in 2011, Jonathan contested for his full term and won election as President on the platform of his party, the PDP which had been governing the country since the return of democracy in 1999.
But his bid to get re-elected in 2015 for a constitutionally-allowed second term, hit the rocks as he lost to opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari of the coalition All Progressives Congress (APC). This coalition,among others, involved Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Jonathan duly conceded defeat even before all votes were counted and phoned Buhari to congratulate the Daura-born retired soldier, in a move unprecedented in Nigeria’s chequered political history.
Today, in court, the presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu, dismissed the case against Jonathan, saying it lacks merit.
He then slammed a fine of N20 million on the plaintiff, Abuja-based lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were present in court.
The ex-President, who is strongly believed to have aspiration to return to Aso Rock, had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the suit seeking to hinder him from running for President next year.
His lawyer, Chris Uche SAN, challenged the competence of the suit after the matter came up before Justice Lifu.
Uche and others told the court that they had already filed a conditional appearance, a notice of preliminary objection, counter-affidavit and written address on 5 May, 2026, and implored the court to dismiss Jideobi’s case.
According to Uche, Jonathan’s camp only became aware of the suit through media reports, forcing them to urgently respond because of the sensitive nature of the matter bordering on the former President’s eligibility to run in 2027.
The legal luminary said the suit is unnecessary and legally defective, contending that the issue had already been decided by the courts in previous cases up to the Court of Appeal.
Before then, however, counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, had informed the court that the case was originally scheduled for mention, disclosing that he had just been served with Jonathan’s processes in court and would require time to respond.
The judge had ordered that hearing notices be served on INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), listed as the second and third defendants in the matter, but who not in court.
Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, Jideobi’s case had sought the court to issue a perpetual injunction restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party for the purpose of contesting in 2027.
Furthermore, he prayed the court to stop INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a duly nominated presidential candidate.
On 19 May, the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP granted Jonathan an automatic ticket to contest the 2027 presidential election.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Dr. Jonathan.
