The Traffic

Court Ruling Clears Jonathan to Contest Presidential Election Again

A fresh twist has emerged in Nigeria’s 2027 political landscape after a Federal High Court judgement from 2022 resurfaced, affirming that former President Goodluck Jonathan is constitutionally qualified to seek another term in office.

The judgement, delivered by Justice Isah Dashem in Yenagoa on May 27, 2022, ruled that Jonathan’s previous tenures do not disqualify him under the controversial Section 137(1)(b) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). According to the court, Jonathan has only been elected as president once — in 2011 — while his earlier swearing-in in 2010 was merely to complete the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Dashem held that the 2018 constitutional amendment barring those who completed another president’s term from running for more than one additional term could not be applied retroactively to strip Jonathan of his rights, since he had already contested in 2015 under the old legal framework.

“Clearly, it is incontrovertible that Jonathan’s right to contest and be sworn-in as President accrued to him on May 29, 2015. The 2018 amendment has no retrospective effect,” the court ruled.

The suit, filed by two APC members amid speculation that Jonathan might be drafted as the party’s consensus candidate in 2023, was dismissed. The judgement has neither been appealed nor set aside and is now legally binding.

2027: Jonathan Back in Play

With this ruling now in the spotlight, political permutations for 2027 have gained new momentum. According to sources close to the former president, Jonathan is being wooed by at least three parties — the PDP, NNPP, and the newly formed coalition under ADC — all eager to have him as their flagbearer.

For many strategists, Jonathan presents a unique advantage: he is legally limited to only one more term, a scenario that could appeal to northern political blocs who want a shorter presidential cycle before the power-rotation debate resurfaces.

His possible comeback is also framed against growing discontent in some quarters over alleged marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration — a claim the presidency has strongly rejected.

The Keyamo Factor

Ironically, the ruling also undercuts earlier arguments made by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, SAN, who had warned that fielding Jonathan in 2027 could trigger constitutional hurdles. What Keyamo and many others apparently overlooked was the existing 2022 Yenagoa judgement, which had already settled the matter in Jonathan’s favour.

Still Consulting

For now, Jonathan has not made a firm decision. His aides insist he is still consulting widely before announcing whether he will return to the fray. But with party leaders circling and an untested but potentially powerful coalition forming around him, his eventual decision could dramatically reshape the 2027 presidential race.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna