Breaking: Court Clears Jonathan To Run For 2027 Presidential Election

In a judgment delivered on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the court held that Jonathan remains qualified to participate in the race as a presidential candidate.

The decision followed a suit filed by Johnmary Jideobi, who had asked the court to bar Jonathan from offering himself to any political party for the 2027 presidential election. The plaintiff also sought an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting, processing, or publishing Jonathan’s name as a candidate.

He urged the court to interpret Sections 1(1), (2), (3), and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution in determining whether the former president was still constitutionally qualified to seek re-election.

Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, has recently been linked with renewed political discussions regarding a possible return to the presidential race ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The ruling comes shortly after a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, reportedly granted Jonathan a waiver to contest as the party’s sole presidential candidate.

Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that Jonathan was not constitutionally barred from contesting in the forthcoming election.

The court’s decision effectively removes a legal hurdle that could have blocked the former president from pursuing the ticket of any political party ahead of the 2027 polls.

Although full details of the judgment are still emerging, the ruling positions Jonathan as a potential contender in the build-up to the 2027 presidential election.