Game Over? Okutepa Reveals Why Jonathan Cannot Contest 2027 Elections

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Jibrin Okutepa, has argued that it would be unconstitutional for former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest and win the 2027 presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

His remarks follow growing speculation that Jonathan may return to active politics to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Okutepa recalled that he had raised the same concern as far back as 2013 when he published an article questioning Jonathan’s eligibility to seek re-election in 2015.

According to him, under the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan has already served six years in office — two years completing the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and four years after winning election in his own right. If Jonathan were to win in 2027 and serve another four-year term, Okutepa stressed, he would have spent a total of 10 years in office, contrary to the constitutional limit of eight years.

The SAN anchored his position on the Supreme Court judgment in Marwa vs. Nyako, which held that no one can serve more than two terms of four years each as governor or president under the 1999 Constitution.

Okutepa explained:

“President Jonathan was vice president when President Yar’Adua died. He served two years to complete Yar’Adua’s tenure, then served another four years after winning election in 2011. That makes six years already. If he contests in 2027 and wins, he will end up serving 10 years, which the Constitution clearly forbids.”

He further pointed to the Fourth Alteration Act of June 7, 2018, which clarified any constitutional ambiguity. The Act states that a person who has been sworn in to complete the term of another elected president can only be elected for one more term.

“Did Jonathan complete Yar’Adua’s tenure? Yes. Did he win and serve another full term? Yes. That means, under the Constitution as amended, he cannot contest again,” Okutepa concluded.