- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit challenging the eligibility of former President, Goodluck Jonathan, to contest in the 2027 Presidential election.
The suit, filed by lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, sought the disqualification of Jonathan from participating in the election.
Delivering the judgement on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu, ruled out the suit while also awarding a N20 million fine against Jideobi and in favour of the ex-President.
He equally awarded a N1 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.