Court Clears Goodluck Jonathan for 2027 Presidential Run, Fines Challenger N21 Million

Court Clears Goodluck Jonathan for 2027 Presidential Run, Fines Challenger N21 Million

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election, dismissing a legal challenge to his candidacy on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Justice Peter Lifu threw out the suit filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi and slammed him with a N20 million fine payable to Jonathan, plus another N1 million to the Attorney-General of the Federation. Total fine: N21 million.

Jideobi had argued that a constitutional amendment bars anyone from being sworn in as president more than twice. Since Jonathan was sworn in twice — first after President Yar’Adua’s death in 2010 and again after winning in 2011 — Jideobi claimed he’s ineligible for 2027.

But Justice Lifu ruled that Jideobi lacked _locus standi_, meaning he had no legal right to bring the case because he suffered no personal loss from Jonathan’s potential candidacy.

The judge called the suit “an abuse of court process” and said he was bound by earlier decisions. Both the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had previously ruled Jonathan eligible to run.

Jideobi sued Jonathan, INEC, and the AGF, citing Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the Constitution. He asked the court to stop INEC from accepting Jonathan’s nomination.

Jonathan’s lawyer, Uche, countered that Section 137(3) cannot apply retroactively. Jonathan last ran in 2015, before the amendment took effect. He referenced two past cases — _Andy Solomon v Jonathan_ and _Cyracus Njoku v Jonathan_ — that both went in Jonathan’s favour.

The AGF’s lawyer, Maimuna Lami-Shiru, agreed, calling Jideobi’s suit “baseless, unmeritorious and an abuse of court process.” INEC did not appear in court.

Jideobi also filed a motion asking Justice Lifu to recuse himself over alleged bias. The judge dismissed that too as “frivolous.”

That’s still unclear. Jonathan hasn’t said a word about 2027 — no confirmation, no denial.

About two weeks ago, a PDP faction loyal to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde announced Jonathan as the party’s sole presidential candidate for 2027. Jonathan hasn’t accepted the nomination.

We’ve been here before. Ahead of the 2023 election, rumors swirled that Jonathan would seek reelection. He stayed silent and never picked up nomination forms.

The court just removed a major legal hurdle for Goodluck Jonathan. With N21M in fines against the challenger, the judiciary signaled it won’t entertain suits it views as political exclusion tactics. Whether Jonathan actually runs is a different question — but legally, the door is open.