The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting in the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgment, also awarded a N20 million fine against Jideobi and in favour of the ex-president.
He equally awarded a one million fine against the plaintiff and in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Justice Lifu held that Jideobi lacked the legal right to have instituted the suit having not suffered any loss from his perceived Jonathan’s intention to vie for the next year poll.
The judge, who said that a Federal High Court in Yenagoa and an Appeal Court had already held that Jonathan was eligible to run, said he was bound by the decision of the appellate court.
The judge then described the lawyer’s suit as “an abuse of court process.”
Justice Lifu also dismissed the Jideobi’s motion seeking the judge’s withdrawal from the case for being frivolous.
Jideobi had sued Jonatha, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and AGF as 1st to 3rf defendants respectively.
Meanwhile, recall that earlier, the Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had presented Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate for 2027.
Babangida Aliyu, a member of the Presidential Screening Committee, appointed by PDP Interim National Working Committee, disclosed this to newsmen last week.
Babangida, a former Niger Governor, said that the Presidential Screening Committee had cleared Jonathan as the party’s sole presidential aspirant at its screening exercise.
He explained that the party’s national leadership had already granted Jonathan necessary waiver to contest in the primary election, noting that the former president’s extensive experience left no room for him to be screened again.
“As you know, the party had already given a presidential aspirant the waiver. Like I said in the beginning, he was a deputy governor, became governor, became vice-president and became president.
“So, we didn’t see anything that needed screening. Therefore, the party had given him a waiver. In other words, he had been declared as the candidate of PDP for the presidential election,” he said.
When asked by journalists to confirm if Jonathan remains the only contender on the platform, Aliyu said “yes”.
However, the former President is yet to publicly reject or accept the offer. Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike-backed PDP had, on May 14, screened Prof. Sandy Onor, as its own sole presidential aspirant.
