A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election.

The judgment was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Peter Lifu in a suit filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who sought to prevent Jonathan from contesting and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting his candidature.

The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had already been sworn in as president twice and would exceed the constitutional limit of eight years in office if elected again in 2027.

According to the suit, Jonathan completed the unexpired tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and later served a full term after winning the 2011 presidential election.

However, Justice Lifu held that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the case because he had not suffered any personal loss or injury arising from Jonathan’s possible participation in the election.

The judge noted that previous court decisions, including those of a Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal, had already affirmed Jonathan’s eligibility to contest future presidential elections.

He stated that he was bound by the decisions of the appellate court and described the suit as an abuse of court process.

The court consequently dismissed the case and awarded a cost of N20 million against the plaintiff in favour of Jonathan.

Justice Lifu also awarded an additional N1 million against the plaintiff in favour of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The judge further dismissed a separate application seeking his withdrawal from the case, describing the request as frivolous.

The ruling comes amid reports that a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party recently offered Jonathan a waiver to emerge as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 election.