2027: Court Rulings Affirm Jonathan’s Right to Run Again, Says Senior Lawyer

Former President Goodluck Jonathan is legally eligible to contest the 2027 presidential election, according to senior lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Monday Ubani. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Ubani explained that his position is based strictly on constitutional interpretation and judicial pronouncements rather than political preferences.

Ubani emphasized that his legal opinion should not be mistaken as an endorsement of Jonathan’s candidacy, but rather a clarification of the law. He noted that previous court rulings had affirmed Jonathan’s eligibility, pointing out that the 1999 Constitution does not bar him from running again.

The lawyer recalled that Jonathan first assumed office in 2010 following the death of then-President Musa Yar’Adua, a development that was a constitutional operation and not the result of an election. He added that Jonathan’s first elected term began in 2011 and that court judgments have consistently upheld his right to seek re-election.