The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election, describing the case as lacking legal merit.
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the plaintiff, lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, had no legal standing to institute the action.
The court held that Jideobi failed to demonstrate any personal injury or loss arising from Jonathan’s potential candidacy, a requirement for initiating such a suit.
Justice Lifu further noted that previous rulings by courts, including decisions from Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal, had already affirmed Jonathan’s eligibility to contest elections.
He stated that the Federal High Court was bound by those appellate decisions, reinforcing the position that the matter had effectively been settled in law.
The judge also criticised the suit, describing it as an abuse of court process.
In addition to dismissing the case, the court imposed financial penalties on the plaintiff.
Jideobi was ordered to pay ₦20 million in damages to Jonathan, alongside an additional ₦1 million awarded in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The court equally struck out a separate application filed by the lawyer requesting that the judge recuse himself from the case, ruling that the motion was without merit.
The suit had listed Jonathan, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as defendants.
The judgment brings an end, for now, to the legal challenge over the former president’s eligibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
