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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday declared former President Goodluck Jonathan eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The judgment sparked positive reactions from the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had earlier granted Jonathan a screening waiver ahead of its planned presidential primary.
The PDP faction, scheduled to hold its primaries on May 28, 2026, described the ruling as consistent with both the law and common sense.
In a statement issued by the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the faction stated that laws cannot operate retroactively.
“This judgment is clearly in alignment with the law and common sense, as laws cannot have a retroactive or retrospective effect,” the statement read.
The party also described the suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility as “vexatious” and “a gross abuse of court process.”
The suit was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who sought an order restraining Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Jideobi had argued that Jonathan was constitutionally ineligible, having already taken the presidential oath twice — first after the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and later following his election in 2011.
The plaintiff also requested the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
However, delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that Jonathan remained eligible to contest the presidency.
The judge ruled that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the case, noting that he had not suffered any personal loss or injury from Jonathan’s possible ambition.
Justice Lifu further noted that previous judgments by both a Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had already affirmed Jonathan’s eligibility to contest future elections.
The court consequently dismissed the suit and described it as an abuse of court process.
Justice Lifu also awarded ₦20 million damages against Jideobi in favour of Jonathan and an additional ₦1 million against the plaintiff in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Meanwhile, Jonathan on Tuesday met with Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio in Freetown as part of regional engagements focused on peace, democratic governance, and cooperation within West Africa.
The former Nigerian president disclosed the meeting in a statement shared on his social media page, explaining that the visit was carried out in his capacity as Special Envoy of President Bola Tinubu and in collaboration with regional democracy platforms.
According to Jonathan, discussions centered on peace, stability, democratic governance, and regional cooperation across the West African sub-region.