By Our Correspondent

National News – Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation have opposed a lawsuit seeking to stop Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

The case was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi.

The suit questions whether Jonathan is constitutionally qualified to seek the presidency again after completing the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later winning the 2011 election.

Justice Peter Lifu fixed May 26 for judgment on the suit and related applications.

The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional limit for the office of president under the 1999 Constitution.

Court filings stated that Jonathan first assumed office on May 6, 2010, after Yar’Adua’s death.

He was sworn in again on May 29, 2011, after winning the presidential election.

The plaintiff is seeking a declaration preventing Jonathan from contesting the 2027 election.

The case also included an application asking Justice Lifu to withdraw from the matter over alleged bias.

Jideobi claimed the court reduced the 14 days earlier granted for responding to Jonathan’s counter-affidavit and preliminary objection.

Jonathan’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the suit. He argued that previous cases challenging Jonathan’s eligibility had already been dismissed.

Uche also maintained that the constitutional amendment restricting anyone from taking the presidential oath more than twice could not be applied retroactively against the former president.

The Attorney General’s representative, Dr Maimuna Lamin Shiru, also asked the court to dismiss the suit entirely.

However, counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, insisted the case remained valid.

Ukpai argued that voter registration was not necessary before filing the legal action.

The ruling is expected to clarify constitutional interpretations ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 political season.