2023: Court Clears Goodluck Jonathan, Says He’s Eligible To Contest For Presidency

A Federal High Court in Yenagoa has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible and qualified to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Court Says Jonathan Is Eligible To Run For President

There have been speculations that the former president had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for the 2023 presidency.

Although Jonathan rejected the APC nomination and expression of interest forms bought for him by some groups, it is believed that the forms were submitted on his behalf.

in 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the fourth alteration of the 1999 Constitution which bars Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.

However, some people have argued that the new provision ought not to apply to Jonathan as the law ought not to take a retroactive effect unless it was expressly stated.

In his judgment on Friday, May 27, the presiding judge, Justice Isa Hamma Dashen ruled that Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2023 presidency.

The judge also held in the Suit marked No: FHC/YNG/CS/86/2022 that Jonathan’s right to vie for the office of president again cannot be stopped by any retroactive law.

KanyiDaily recalls that Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi had revealed that the APC will find it difficult to “market” Goodluck Jonathan if he joins the presidential race.