Former President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged a lawsuit seeking to prevent him from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Jonathan’s legal team presented its objection before Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja during proceedings on Friday.
Counsel to the former president, Chris Uche, informed the court that the defence had already filed a letter of conditional appearance, a notice of preliminary objection, a counter-affidavit and a written address on May 5.
According to Uche, the filings urged the court to dismiss the suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The senior lawyer explained that the legal team became aware of the case through media reports and moved swiftly to respond because of the significance of the matter.
He argued that the issue raised in the suit had already been decided by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
“It is unfortunate that such a suit was filed by a lawyer who should know that this same matter had been decided by the Federal High Court up to the Court of Appeal,” Uche said.
Earlier, counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, told the court that the matter was scheduled for mention but noted that he had only just been served with Jonathan’s court processes.
Ukpai requested additional time to study and respond to the filings made by the former president’s legal team.
Justice Lifu subsequently adjourned the matter until May 11 for the hearing of Jonathan’s preliminary objection as well as the substantive suit.
The judge also directed that hearing notices be issued and served on the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation, who are listed as the second and third defendants in the case.
The suit was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is asking the court to bar Jonathan from participating in the 2027 presidential race.
Jideobi urged the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining the former president from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the election.
He also requested an order preventing INEC from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a duly nominated presidential candidate for the 2027 poll.
