By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election, effectively clearing the way for his potential return to Aso Rock.
The ruling comes weeks after a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki granted Jonathan a waiver, positioning him as the faction’s sole presidential candidate.
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The suit was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who asked the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself as a candidate under any political party for 2027. Jideobi also sought an order preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from accepting, processing, or publishing Jonathan’s name on the ballot.
His main argument centered on Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution. That provision states that a person who has been sworn in as president to complete the term of a president who died or resigned shall not be elected to the same office for more than one additional term.
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Jideobi argued that since Jonathan served as president from 2010 to 2015 – first completing the term of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and then winning a full term in 2011 – he had exhausted the constitutional limit.
The court disagreed. In dismissing the case, the judge ruled that Jonathan remains constitutionally eligible to run in 2027. The judgment means INEC cannot be stopped from processing his candidacy if he obtains a party ticket.
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The ruling follows a move by one PDP faction under Kabiru Tanimu Turaki to adopt Jonathan as its consensus candidate for 2027. The faction issued him a waiver, bypassing the usual process of obtaining a party expression of interest and nomination form.
However, the PDP remains split ahead of 2027. Another faction loyal to the party’s mainstream leadership has not endorsed Jonathan, and the party has not officially declared its position on the 2027 ticket. The waiver itself is a point of internal contention and could face challenges at the party’s national level.
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Constitutional Precedent: The case tested the interpretation of Section 137(3). The court’s position suggests that a president who first assumed office to complete another’s term and then served one elected term may still be eligible for another term, provided they have not served two full elected terms.
2027 Dynamics: Jonathan’s potential candidacy reshapes the PDP’s calculations. He brings national name recognition and could appeal to voters seeking experience. But his entry also risks deepening the party’s internal crisis if the mainstream leadership backs another candidate.
INEC’s Role: With the suit dismissed, INEC is free to accept Jonathan’s nomination if he emerges as a candidate from a recognized political party during the 2027 nomination window.
Jonathan has not publicly confirmed whether he will run. He left office in 2015 after losing to Muhammadu Buhari and has since taken on international peace and mediation roles.
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The PDP is expected to hold its national convention and primaries in late 2026. How the party resolves its factional split will determine whether Jonathan’s waiver translates into a formal ticket.
For now, the legal hurdle is cleared. The political one is next.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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