May 26, 2026
- A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan remains eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election.
- The court dismissed efforts to stop Jonathan from participating in the race or being recognised by INEC as a presidential candidate.
The ruling was delivered on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, following a suit filed by Johnmary Jideobi, who asked the court to bar Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
The plaintiff also requested an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting, processing, or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate for the next general election.
Jideobi argued that, based on Sections 1(1), (2), (3), and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan should no longer be eligible to seek the office of President.
However, the court ruled that the former president remains constitutionally qualified to contest the election if he chooses to do so.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s President from 2010 to 2015, has repeatedly been linked to discussions surrounding a possible return to the presidential race ahead of the 2027 general elections.
