A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered judgment in the case, held that the suit filed by Johnmary Jideobi lacked merit and constituted an abuse of court process.

The judge ruled that the plaintiff failed to establish the legal standing required to institute the suit, noting that he did not show how Jonathan’s possible participation in the election directly affected him.

The court consequently awarded N20 million in costs against the plaintiff in favour of Jonathan and an additional N1 million in favour of the Attorney General of the Federation.

Justice Lifu described the suit as frivolous and a waste of judicial time, especially as previous courts had already dismissed similar cases on the matter.

He referenced earlier judgments in Andy Solomon v. Jonathan and Cyracus Njoku v. Jonathan, aligning with those decisions and stating that he had “nothing else to add.”

The suit, filed in October 2025, argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional two-term limit after completing the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua between 2010 and 2011 before serving a full term following the 2011 election.

The plaintiff had asked the court to restrain Jonathan from contesting future presidential elections and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting his candidacy.

Jonathan, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Attorney General of the Federation were listed as defendants in the case.