The Federal High Court in Abuja will on 26 May deliver judgment on an application seeking the withdrawal of Justice Peter Lifu from a suit challenging former President Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The application was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, the plaintiff in the case, who accused the judge of bias and requested that he step down from the proceedings.
At Monday’s hearing, counsel to Jonathan, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, asked the court to dismiss the application, describing it as frivolous and an abuse of judicial process.
Uche told the court that a counter-affidavit had already been filed in opposition to the motion and urged the judge to rely on the court’s records in determining the matter.
According to him, the allegations made by the plaintiff were false and amounted to perjury.
He further requested that the court dismiss the application with substantial costs and continue hearing the substantive case.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, also opposed the motion through his representative, Maimuna Lami-Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Lami-Shiru acknowledged that judicial officers may recuse themselves in situations where impartiality could be compromised, but argued that the plaintiff’s application lacked legal merit.
She described the motion as baseless and an abuse of court process, urging the court to dismiss it with costs.
The ministry also sought N2 million in costs against the plaintiff.
The substantive suit seeks to stop Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Following submissions from lawyers representing both parties, Justice Lifu fixed 26 May for judgment on the recusal application.
