A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has cleared former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The ruling was delivered on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, who held that Jonathan remains eligible to seek the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The case was filed by Johnmary Jideobi, who asked the court to stop Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the next presidential poll.
He also asked the court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting, processing or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
Jideobi asked the court to interpret Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution and decide whether Jonathan was still qualified to run.
Jonathan, who served as President from 2010 to 2015, has long been linked with a possible return to the ballot ahead of the 2027 general election.
How The Case Started
The judgment comes at a time of fresh political talk over Jonathan’s future, especially after a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki reportedly offered him a waiver to contest as sole presidential candidate.
That offer had already fuelled debate within political circles over whether Jonathan could legally re-enter the race after his previous time in office.
Justice Lifu’s ruling now removes that legal barrier and leaves Jonathan free to seek the ticket of any political party ahead of 2027.
Although the full text of the judgment was not immediately available, the court’s decision places the former president back among the names likely to shape early election calculations.
The ruling may now influence party talks, alliance building and the wider contest for the 2027 presidency.
For Jonathan, it also revives a political question that has lingered for months: whether the former president will fully enter the race or keep his options open.
For now, the court has answered the legal question in his favour. The political question is still open.
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