The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election, ruling that the case was incompetent and amounted to an abuse of court process.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Peter Lifu held that the plaintiff, lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, lacked the legal standing to institute the action, as he failed to show any personal injury arising from Jonathan’s alleged political ambition.
The court consequently struck out the suit and imposed costs, including the affirmation of a N20 million fine previously associated with the case and an additional N1 million awarded against the plaintiff in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Justice Lifu held that the action was speculative and did not disclose a reasonable cause for judicial intervention, noting that courts are not meant to entertain hypothetical disputes.
He further observed that the question of Jonathan’s eligibility had already been addressed in earlier decisions of both the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal, which affirmed his qualification to seek elective office.
The judge said the court was bound by those appellate pronouncements and could not reopen issues already settled by superior courts.
Describing the suit as frivolous and an abuse of judicial process, the court dismissed it in its entirety.
The ruling effectively removes a legal challenge that had generated public attention amid ongoing political discussions about Jonathan’s possible return to the presidential race ahead of 2027.
While the former president has not formally declared his intention to contest, the judgment is expected to further fuel speculation within political circles over his potential candidacy and the legal clarity surrounding his eligibility.