Jonathan requests that the lawsuit contesting eligibility be dismissed.

 Goodluck Jonathan, the former president, officially contested a lawsuit on Friday that sought to bar him from running for president in 2027.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja was notified by Jonathan's attorney, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), that the former president had already submitted the required legal documents contesting the lawsuit.

On May 5, the defense filed a conditional appearance, preliminary objection, counter-affidavit, and written address requesting that the court dismiss the case, according to Uche.

He clarified that after learning about the situation through media reporting, Jonathan's legal team moved quickly.

Uche maintained that the matter had previously been resolved by the courts, including the Court of Appeal, and that the lawsuit focused on the former president's eligibility to run for office once again in 2027.

However, Ndubuisi Ukpai, the plaintiff's attorney, informed the court that he had just received Jonathan's response and needed time to review the paperwork and file a reply.

After the submissions, Justice Lifu postponed the hearing on the preliminary objection and the substantive litigation until May 11.

Additionally, the judge ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who were not present in court, to receive hearing notices.

Attorney Johnmary Jideobi filed the lawsuit, requesting that the court permanently bar Jonathan from running for president in 2027.

The plaintiff specifically asked for an order prohibiting the former president from running for president on behalf of any political party.

Additionally, he requested that INEC not acknowledge or publish Jonathan's name as a legitimately nominated candidate.

Jonathan is listed as the initial defendant in the lawsuit, which was filed on October 6, 2025. INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation were added as co-defendants.

The central question in the legal controversy is whether Jonathan is still qualified to run for president under Sections 1 and 137(3) of the Nigerian Constitution after taking the oath of office twice.

Emmanuel Agida characterized the plaintiff as a defender of constitutionalism and the rule of law who went to court to stop what he saw as a potential constitutional infringement in an affidavit submitted in support of the lawsuit.

According to the declaration, Jonathan served as vice president until taking over as president on May 6, 2010, after former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua passed away. It also mentioned that he went on to win the 2011 presidential election and serve out his entire term.

The affidavit stated that Jonathan might be thinking about running for president again in 2027 based on recent media stories.

“That if the court does not intervene in a timely manner, a political party may present the 1st defendant as its presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, thereby breaching the Constitution.”

Additionally, he contended that if the court did not step in, Jonathan might eventually run for office and possibly win, which he claimed could lead to constitutional concerns regarding presidential eligibility and tenure restrictions.

Regarding legal standing, the plaintiff emphasized that the complaint was filed in the public interest and that it was his duty as an attorney to uphold the rule of law and avoid constitutional violations.

In order to uphold Nigeria's constitutional democracy and safeguard the supremacy of the Constitution, he pleaded with the court to grant the requested relief.