A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 8 for hearing in a suit seeking to prevent former President Goodluck Jonathan from participating in the 2027 presidential election.
The case came up on Tuesday before Justice Peter Lifu, who directed that hearing notices be served on all defendants ahead of the next sitting.
The plaintiff, lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, is asking the court to issue an order restraining Jonathan from contesting and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate.
He also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation as a defendant in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025.
Jideobi is seeking a constitutional interpretation of whether Jonathan is eligible to run for president again, arguing that he has already served the maximum permitted tenure.
He contends that Jonathan, who first assumed office in 2010 after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and was later elected in 2011, has exhausted the constitutional limit of two terms.
According to him, permitting the former president to contest in 2027 would result in a third presidential oath of office, which he argues is unconstitutional.
In an affidavit, he said the suit was filed in the public interest to uphold the rule of law and prevent any breach of the Constitution.
The court adjourned proceedings to May 8 for hearing of the substantive case.
