Federal High Court Imposes Fine for Legal Challenge Against Goodluck Jonathan
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fined lawyer John Mary Jideobi a total of NOK 1 million for filing a legal challenge against former President Goodluck Jonathan’s eligibility for the 2027 presidential election. The court’s decision underscores the consequences of delaying court proceedings unnecessarily.
Judge Peter Riff criticized Jideobi’s actions during the ruling, describing them as “unacceptable.” The judge’s comments came in response to a request from Jonathan’s attorney, Chris Uche (SAN), who had sought costs of NOK 5 million and urged for the case to be dismissed due to Jideobi’s absence from a previous court session.
In his ruling, Judge Riff ordered that the original summons and all pending complaints be served to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation in preparation for the next hearing scheduled for May 18.
Uche, appearing alongside the Attorney General’s lawyer, EG Esho Esq., highlighted Jideobi’s absence as an attempt to manipulate the court process. He stated, “The plaintiff thinks he can hold the court and other parties to ransom while enjoying the comfort of home.” Uche emphasized the need to uphold the dignity of the court.
During the proceedings, Jideobi’s representative, Ndubuisi Ukpai Esq., arrived late and attributed the delay to vehicle trouble, apologizing for Jideobi’s absence. This incident further complicated the case as the court shifted its focus back to the substantive issues at hand.
In this legal action, Jideobi has requested the court to prevent Jonathan from naming a political party as his candidate for the upcoming 2027 elections. He seeks clarity on whether Jonathan is entitled to run for the presidency under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, particularly Articles 1(1), (2) and (3) and Article 137(3).
Jideobi argues that Jonathan has already reached the constitutional limit for presidential terms by completing the tenure of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and subsequently winning the presidency in the 2011 elections. This assertion is backed by an affidavit from Emmanuel Agida, who emphasized Jonathan’s swearing-in on May 6, 2010.
In response, Jonathan’s counteraffidavit challenges the plaintiff’s standing to sue and contends that the lawsuit infringes upon his constitutional rights to contest the presidency. The counteraffidavit also reiterates that Jonathan was duly elected in 2011 and completed his term in 2015, arguing that he has not yet exceeded the limits on presidential terms.
Meanwhile, there have been reports that Jideobi has approached the President of the Federal High Court to request a transfer of the case from the Magistrate’s Court, citing concerns over bias.
