Court clears Jonathan for 2023 presidential elections

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan can run in next year’s presidential election, a court has determined. The ruling rests prevailing controversy over his eligibility to contest in the 2023 presidential elections.

Some APC members brought a case to disqualify Jonathan based on term limits which a person can serve as president.

President Muhammadu Buhari signed a constitution amendment in 2018 seeking to bar vice-presidents from serving more than one full-term in event of succeeding a president through death, impairment or ill-health, a hurdle which Jonathan had to clear.

The court said that the new amendment was not binding on Jonathan.

“If the court had said it was binding, Jonathan would have been deemed to have done eight years in office and therefore not qualified to contest election as President of Nigeria,” his lawyer said.

Jonathan succeeded former president Umaru Yaradua, who died in office. He subsequently contested and won presidential elections under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), now an opposition party.