Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit by an Abuja-based lawyer seeking to stop Jonathan from contesting for President in 2027.

This was as Jonathan failed to show up for the submission of his nomination form as announced by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Yesterday, Justice Peter Lifu fixed May 26 for composite judgment, which would include a ruling on the application by the plaintiff, Johnmary Jideobi, asking him to recuse himself.

In the originating summons, Jideobi requested, among others, that the court determines “whether in view of the combined provisions of sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Jideobi argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional limit allowed for a President, having completed the tenure of the late Umaru Yar’Adua before serving another full term after the 2011 election.

In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Emmanuel Agida, who deposed on behalf of Jideobi, averred that Jonathan was sworn in as President on May 6, 2010, following Yar’Adua’s death and another oath on May 29, 2011 after winning the election

Earlier, counsel to the former President, Chris Uche (SAN), in arguing both his counter-affidavit and prelim
inary objection, asked the court to dismiss the suit with a cost of N50 million.

Similarly, the Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law of the Ministry of Justice, Dr Maimuna Shiru, asked the court to dismiss Jideobi’s claim in its entirety.

A FACTION of the PDP backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had announced that Jonathan would be screened as the party’s presidential aspirant today.

Ahead of the planned screening, Jonathan, who was expected to submit his nomination form yesterday, reportedly failed to appear.

A PDP chieftain and member of the Nyesom Wike faction, Lere Olayinka, disclosed this in a post on his official Facebook page.

According to him, the Turaki-led PDP “waited from morning till 4pm today for Jonathan to come and submit a nomination form to contest for President.

“As at 4pm, they didn’t see Jonathan. They had to announce that the submission was postponed indefinitely.”

The PDP faction had in a statement on Sunday, said the screening of all hopefuls would hold today by 10am ahead of its forthcoming primaries.

However, a source within the party confirmed that Jonathan is the sole presidential aspirant to be screened by a 14-member committee.