A Federal High Court sitting in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State has declared that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible and “constitutionally” qualified to contest for president in 2023.
In his judgment on Friday, Justice Hamma Adama Dashen said Jonathan is not affected by the fourth alteration to the constitution barring Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.
In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the fourth alteration of the 1999 Constitution which bars Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.
Jonathan was Nigeria’s vice-president between 2007 and 2010. He became the president in May 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and completed the latter’s tenure.
He won the 2011 presidential election but lost his attempt to secure a second term in office in 2015.
Sahara Reporters report that using proxies, Jonathan approached the court praying he “is pre-eminently constitutionally, morally and legally qualified to contest the 2023 presidential election.”
The case with suit no FHC/YNG/CS/86/2022 has Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham as plaintiffs while All Progressives Congress, Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission were listed as defendants.
