Byline: Arinze Izik | Abuja, May 6, 2026

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday could not proceed with a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election, after the plaintiff and other parties failed to appear.

The case, filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi before Justice Peter Lifu, stalled when no counsel showed up for the plaintiff, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, or the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF.

Only Jonathan’s lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, was present in court. Uche told the judge that the matter was fixed for hearing at 2pm by agreement, and urged the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.

“My Lord, what it means is that they have lost interest in pursuing the suit, particularly after we have filed and served our notice of preliminary objection and other processes,” Uche said. He noted that the plaintiff’s counsel, Ndubuisi Ukpai, who attended the last sitting, was absent without explanation, and that Jideobi himself was also not in court.

Uche applied for the matter to be struck out or dismissed with substantial cost, citing the court’s rules on want of diligent prosecution. He requested N5 million in costs against the plaintiff, arguing that “for every default, there must be a consequence.”

Justice Lifu, however, asked the registrar to confirm service of hearing notices on INEC and AGF, the 2nd and 3rd defendants. It was confirmed that neither had been served.

“In the interest of fair hearing, the 2nd and 3rd defendants should be afforded another opportunity,” the judge ruled. He said INEC was fundamental to the case and needed to be heard, and adjourned the matter to May 15 for a definite hearing.

The judge ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on the plaintiff, INEC, and AGF for the last time, noting that the 2pm sitting was fixed with the plaintiff’s consent.

In his preliminary objection, Jonathan argued that Jideobi lacked the legal standing to file the suit, describing it as speculative and premature. He said there was no nomination, no election, and no cause of action, and that the court lacked jurisdiction over hypothetical constitutional questions.

Jonathan also contended that the issues raised had already been settled by a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, and asked the court to strike out the suit for want of jurisdiction and as an abuse of process.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed on October 6, 2025, with Jonathan named as the 1st defendant, and INEC and AGF as 2nd and 3rd defendants.