From Dispatch Room
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fined lawyer Johnmary Jideobi ₦1 million over delays in the prosecution of his suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The order was made on Friday by Justice Peter Lifu, who criticised the plaintiff and his counsel over what the court considered a lack of diligence in handling the matter.
Jideobi had approached the court to challenge Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the next presidential election, arguing that the former president had already taken the oath of office twice, first after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010 and again after winning the 2011 presidential election.
The plaintiff is asking the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a presidential aspirant or candidate in 2027. He is also seeking an order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate.
During Friday’s proceedings, Jonathan’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the suit, accusing the plaintiff and his lawyer of failing to prosecute the matter seriously.
Uche reportedly asked the court to award ₦5 million in costs against the plaintiff, but Justice Lifu awarded ₦1 million in favour of the former president.
The court noted that although the suit was filed in October 2025, the plaintiff had not properly served some of the key defendants, including INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, with the relevant court processes.
Justice Lifu said political cases must be handled speedily because of their connection to election timelines and public interest. He therefore directed that the necessary parties be served and ordered them to file their responses before the next hearing.
The judge adjourned the case to Monday, May 18, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications and the substantive suit.
The development means the court has not yet ruled on whether Jonathan is constitutionally eligible to contest in 2027. For now, the court’s decision only concerns the plaintiff’s handling of the case and the need for the matter to proceed without further delay.
Jonathan served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015 after completing the tenure of the late President Yar’Adua and later winning the 2011 presidential election. His possible return to the presidential race has continued to attract legal and political debate ahead of the 2027 elections.
— Newspot Nigeria
