2027: Court adjourns suit seeking to stop Jonathan’s presidential bid

Hearing in a suit seeking to prevent former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election has been adjourned by a Federal High Court in Abuja after the plaintiff and key parties failed to appear in court.

The case, filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi before Justice Peter Lifu, could not proceed on Monday because neither the plaintiff nor representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation were present.

Only counsel to the former president, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, appeared before the court.

Mr Uche told the court that the matter had earlier been fixed for hearing at 2pm at the instance of the parties and argued that the continued absence of the plaintiff showed a lack of interest in pursuing the case.

He asked the court to strike out or dismiss the suit for want of diligent prosecution, noting that the plaintiff’s lawyer, Ndubuisi Ukpai, who was present during the previous adjournment, neither appeared in court nor sent any explanation for his absence.

According to him, the plaintiff, who is also a lawyer, equally failed to attend proceedings without offering any reason.

“My Lord, what it means is that they have lost interest in pursuing the suit, particularly after we have filed and served our notice of preliminary objection and other processes,” Mr Uche said.

He further argued that since legal processes had already been exchanged, the matter ought to be dismissed, while also requesting a cost of five million naira against the plaintiff.

Justice Lifu, however, directed the court registrar to confirm whether hearing notices had been served on INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, who are listed as the second and third defendants in the suit.

The court was informed that both parties had not been served.

The judge ruled that, in the interest of fair hearing, INEC and the Attorney-General should be given another opportunity to participate in the proceedings.

Responding, Mr Uche maintained that the two defendants were passive parties in the matter and argued that striking out the suit would not prejudice them.

“For every default, there must be a consequence,” he told the court.

Justice Lifu disagreed, saying INEC was central to the case and should be heard before any decision is taken.

“Let us give them time. Let this order be served on INEC because INEC is fundamental in this case. Let us listen to INEC in this matter,” the judge said.

The matter was subsequently adjourned until 15 May for definite hearing.

The judge also ordered that hearing notices be served on the plaintiff, INEC and the Attorney-General “for the last time”.

“In the circumstances of this case, I am minded to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the second and third defendants who have consistently absent,” Justice Lifu added.

According to court documents, former President Jonathan, through his preliminary objection, challenged the competence of the suit and argued that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the action.

The former president described the case as speculative, premature and based on media reports, arguing that there was no nomination, election or valid cause of action before the court.

“The court lacks jurisdiction to entertain hypothetical constitutional questions,” the objection stated.

Mr Jonathan also argued that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process intended to obtain a “pre-emptive political judgment”.

He further contended that the issues raised had already been settled by an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and urged the Abuja court to strike out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed on 6 October 2025 by Mr Jideobi, who joined INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation as co-defendants.