The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 26 for judgment in a suit challenging former President Goodluck Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu scheduled the judgment after parties in the matter adopted their final written addresses on Monday.
The suit, filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, seeks to stop Jonathan from participating in the 2027 presidential race on the grounds that he has already exhausted the constitutional limit of time allowed for a president in office.
The plaintiff argued that Jonathan completed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s tenure before serving another full term after the 2011 election, and therefore cannot constitutionally seek another term.
At the hearing, the Attorney-General of the Federation aligned with Jonathan in asking the court to dismiss the suit, while INEC had no legal representation in court.
Both Jonathan and the AGF also opposed an application seeking the judge’s withdrawal from the case over alleged bias and requested that costs be awarded against the plaintiff.
The plaintiff is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining Jonathan from presenting himself as a presidential candidate in 2027 or any future election.
