The hypothesis surrounding the 2027 political ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan underneath the Peoples Democratic Get together, PDP, took a unique twist on Monday.
DAILY POST experiences that Jonathan was on Monday dragged to a Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja over his bid to take part within the 2027 election.
It might be recalled {that a} former Minister of Info and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Get together, PDP, Professor Jerry Gana, had confirmed that Jonathan will run in 2027 because the PDP’s presidential candidate.
Gana spoke a number of days in the past in Minna after the election of latest officers by the Niger State chapter of PDP.
Gana mentioned, “In 2015, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan mentioned his ambition shouldn’t be well worth the blood of Nigerians. After him one other president dominated for eight years and now one other has dominated for 2 years.
“Nigerians have seen the distinction and the distinction could be very clear. Nigerians are actually asking us to carry again our good friend, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“I can verify that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the presidential election in 2027 as PDP candidate and you’ll vote for him to return as President once more.”
Ever since that remark was made, the presidency has not hidden the truth that it’s uncomfortable with Jonathan becoming a member of the race.
In a fast flip of occasions, a lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi, in a swimsuit particularly marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/ 2025, is now asking the court docket to disqualify Jonathan.
The court docket is being requested to subject an order of perpetual injunction, restraining former Goodluck from presenting himself to any political get together within the nation for the aim of contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Jideobi can also be urging the court docket to bar the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC, from accepting from any political get together, Jonathan’s identify or publishing similar as a duly nominated candidate for the presidential contest.
Whereas ex-President Jonathan was cited as the first defendant within the matter, each INEC and the Lawyer Normal of the Federation, have been listed as 2nd and third defendants, respectively.
Upon the willpower of the query, the plaintiff sought to wit:
“Whether or not in view of the mixed provisions of the whole thing of Sections 1(1), (2) & (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and their conflated interpretation, the first Defendant is eligible, underneath any circumstances [whatsoever] to contest for the workplace of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”
Jonathan was a catastrophe – Presidency
DAILY POST recollects that earlier final week, the administration of President Bola Tinubu had attacked the report of Jonathan’s presidency, saying the previous chief’s efficiency in workplace was “disastrous.”
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga threw the assault in an announcement whereby he challenged the previous president to contest in opposition to Tinubu in 2027.
Onanuga mentioned his assertion was partly in response to the hassle by former minister Gana to “draft former President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2027 presidential race” on the platform of the previous ruling get together, PDP.
DAILY POST reported that though Jonathan has not declared his intention to run for a second time period in workplace, some politicians, together with Gana, have referred to as on him to take action.
Nevertheless, Tinubu’s authorities shouldn’t be ready for Jonathan to make a declaration earlier than attacking him.
“Allow us to remind ourselves about Jonathan’s report. We can not overlook in a rush how his regime, devoid of any clear financial agenda, engaged in frivolous spending, ran the financial system aground and put the nation in dire straits,” Onanuga wrote.
The presidential spokesman additionally questioned the eligibility of the ex-President for one more time period in workplace.
“However Jonathan may have his date within the court docket of the land. Certainly, the jury will decide whether or not Jonathan, who was sworn in twice as president, satisfies the constitutional necessities and is eligible to contest the presidency and be sworn in, if profitable, for a 3rd time period in workplace,” Onanuga added.
DAILY POST recollects that Jonathan was first sworn in as president in 2010 to finish the time period of late President Umaru Yar’Adua who died in workplace.
Jonathan received the 2011 election and was sworn in for a full time period earlier than shedding re-election to late President Muhammadu Buhari.
‘Abuse of court docket course of’ – SAN dismisses swimsuit on Jonathan’s qualification
On Tuesday, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Oba Maduabuchi, described the swimsuit filed on the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, difficult the eligibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election as an abuse of court docket course of.
Talking on Come up Tv’s Morning Present, Maduabuchi mentioned the problem of Jonathan’s qualification had already been settled by a reliable court docket in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and that no enchantment had been filed in opposition to that judgment.
He acknowledged that till the present judgment was overturned, it remained the legitimate authorized place, including that anybody making an attempt to relitigate the matter was “merely abusing the method of the court docket and is a busy physique”.
The senior lawyer defined that the 2018 constitutional modification — Part 137(3), which limits an individual to 1 additional time period if they’ve beforehand accomplished one other’s tenure — didn’t exist when Jonathan first took the oath of workplace in 2010 following the dying of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Maduabuchi maintained that the regulation can’t be utilized retroactively and that there was no authorized restriction stopping Jonathan from looking for two full phrases as President underneath the constitutional provisions in impact on the time.
He mentioned: “Let me begin by saying that that swimsuit within the Federal Excessive Courtroom Abuja is an abuse of court docket course of.
“An abuse of court docket course of is if you wish to relitigate a case or a difficulty that has already been settled by a court docket of competent jurisdiction.
“The problem of the qualification or non-qualification of Dr Goodluck Jonathan have been settled by the court docket in Yenagoa. No one has taken that subject on enchantment. And till that judgment is put aside, it stays what the regulation is, and anyone who decides that he desires to take it to a court docket of coordinate jurisdiction is solely abusing the method of the court docket and is a busy physique.
“However what controls a given state of affairs is the place of the regulation when the act within the subject was finished. What was the place of the regulation in 2011?
“When Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan took the oath of workplace as President of Nigeria, what was the place of the regulation? Was Part 1373 a part of our legal guidelines then? You already mentioned the regulation got here into impact in 2018.
“So when Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was taking the oath of workplace to finish the tenure of Yar’Adua there have been no statutory limitations in existence then which may inhibit him from working his constitutionally assured two phrases.
“There was no inhibition. When in 2018 you introduced within the modification of 1373, did Goodluck Ebele Jonathan take an oath as president after the modification?”
Jonathan will want overdose of fine luck to win – APC
Additionally, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, took a swipe at ex-President Jonathan and the opposition Peoples Democratic Get together, PDP.
In an announcement on Tuesday by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, the Lagos APC mocked the PDP’s alleged plan to return Jonathan to Aso Rock, describing it as a determined political transfer rooted in nostalgia relatively than competence.
Reacting to Gana’s declaration that Jonathan will contest and return to the Villa in 2027, the APC mentioned the previous president would wish “an overdose of fine luck” to face any real looking probability of successful the presidency once more.
“If he chooses to run, President Jonathan will want greater than an overdose of fine luck to face an opportunity. The landmines earlier than him are quite a few – authorized, data, and elementary questions of capability,” the get together mentioned.
They may garbage you – Okonkwo admonishes Jonathan
On his half, a veteran Nollywood actor, lawyer and politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has suggested Jonathan to avoid the 2027 presidential race for his personal good.
He mentioned the Bayelsa-born politician mustn’t even think about or ponder coming into the race.
Okonkwo, in a video shared on X on Friday night, famous that Jonathan had served as a President and through this era of virtually six years, went in opposition to sure conventions and norms.
The previous Labour Get together chieftain believes that giving Jonathan one other 4 years would imply that the previous Bayelsa State governor could be President of Nigeria for about ten years, having dominated for nearly six years.
“My very own recommendation is that Jonathan mustn’t think about contesting for the presidency in 2027. He mustn’t ponder it,” Okonkwo mentioned.
“The identical forces that almost destroyed his identify once they weren’t in energy are actually in energy, they’ll take his identify to bathroom.”
‘Satan’s voice not removed from God’ – Kukah
Prior to now, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah, had urged the previous President to be cautious as he weighed calls to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Talking lately on the Democracy Dialogue of the Goodluck Jonathan Basis in Accra, Ghana, Kukah praised Jonathan’s 2015 concession of defeat as a defining second for Nigeria’s democracy, describing it as an act of sacrifice and honor.
He famous that Jonathan had the facility and sources to withstand the result of the election however as an alternative selected peace, a call Kukah mentioned restored hope in democratic governance.
Nevertheless, the cleric cautioned the previous president to tread rigorously in contemplating a political comeback.
Quoting former Defence Minister, Normal Theophilus Danjuma, Kukah mentioned: “The voice of the satan shouldn’t be so removed from the voice of God. Hear very rigorously to those that wish to use you as an instrument for the elongation of their pursuits, and never your pursuits or the pursuits of Nigeria.”
He urged Jonathan to mirror deeply, pray, and decide guided by conscience and the nationwide curiosity.
He mentioned: “I subsequently wish to finish by saying, to start with, it’s an important honor, President Jonathan, for me to be right here. Once you took that call on March, 31, 2015, he’s written a little bit e-book, which you must learn ‘My Transition Hours’, if you took that call, was a kind of moments that it was between your self, your conscience, your God in opposition to the run of play. On the thirty first of March, 2015, even earlier than the elections had concluded, if you made that decision, you have been answering what to me was kind of a divine name.
“However please, Normal Theophilus Danjuma, one in all our best statesmen, President Obasanjo’s colleague, as soon as mentioned fairly often, the voice of the satan shouldn’t be so removed from the voice of God. Hear very rigorously to those that wish to use you as an instrument for the elongation of their pursuits, and never your pursuits or the pursuits of Nigeria. Assume very clearly. Pray very clearly. Last choice, it’s your name.”
APC, Tinubu’s camp jittery – Analyst
In the meantime, a Public Affairs Analyst and Communication Scholar at Peaceland College, Enugu, Dr. Nduka Odo, has mentioned that the APC and supporters of President Bola Tinubu are jittery over speculations that Jonathan could contest the 2027 presidential election.
Talking in an interview with DAILY POST on Tuesday, Odo mentioned the anxiousness throughout the ruling get together and the Tinubu camp was comprehensible.
Based on him, “APC and Tinubu camps are doing the suitable factor by being jittery over the permutations that former President Goodluck Jonathan will contest in 2027.”
He added that the ruling camp’s reactions to Jonathan’s potential return and to opposition figures reminiscent of Peter Obi have been pushed by worry of shedding energy relatively than precept.
He urged the ruling get together to acknowledge that “rabid assaults on potential robust opponents have change into a mastered technique,” noting that whereas they’ve a proper to defend their place, their motives are clearly political.
Odo mentioned, “APC and Tinubu camps are doing the suitable factor by being jittery over the permutations that former President Goodluck Jonathan will contest in 2027. All the things they’re doing and all their reactions are anticipated if we wish to be sincere with ourselves.
“This is the reason I disagree with analysts who condemn the reactions from Tinubu camp. Nobody sees a risk to their supply of meal and retains quiet. Jonathan is a risk. Peter Obi has been for a very long time.
“What I disagree with is anybody who rationalizes that these reactions will not be born out of jitters, that they’re altruistic.
“Simply as they’ve been doing on different opponents, they started instantly to assault Jonathan. They ship their assault and propaganda machines like Bayo Onanuga to leech Jonathan’s presidency.
“They might suppose they’re good, however it’s apparent to all that they do that out of the worry of shedding the 2027 elections. Nigerians See this.
“I recommend they come clean with the truth that rabid assaults on potential robust opponents are a darling technique they’ve mastered.
“They’ve the precise to current opponents in a destructive mild out of worry of shedding the presidential seat.”
