Court declares Jonathan eligible to contest 2023 presidency

<p><strong>A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa on Friday declared former <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;Openlife&period;ng">President Goodluck Jonathan<&sol;a> eligible to contest the 2023 presidential election&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Recall that Jonathan was inaugurated as Nigeria’s President in 2010 following the death of his principal&comma; late Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In 2015&comma; while running for another term&comma; a court ruled that Jonathan was eligible to contest as his first inauguration was done to complete Yar’Adua’s tenure&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>However&comma; in 2018&comma; 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&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>However&comma; in an origination summons filed by Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham&comma; the plaintiffs are seeking an order of the court stating that Jonathan is not affected by the fourth alteration&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h1><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;sanwo-olu-joins-buga-challenge-after-apc-governorship-ticket-win-video&sol;">Sanwo-Olu Joins Buga Challenge After Winning APC Governorship Ticket &lpar;VIDEO&rpar;<&sol;a><&sol;h1>&NewLine;<p>The plaintiffs requested an accelerated hearing via a motion ex parte which was granted by Justice Isa Dashen to allow Jonathan to participate in the APC primary slated for Sunday&comma; May 30&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>The presiding judge&comma; Justice Isa Hamma Dashen held that Jonathan’s right to vie for the office of president again cannot be stopped by any retroactive law&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Having been granted the permission to contest the APC presidential primary&comma; Jonathan will slug it out with the likes of the APC National Leader&comma; Bola Tinubu&semi; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo&semi; Senate President Ahmad Lawan&semi; the immediate past Minister of Transportation&comma; Rotimi Amaechi&semi; Governor Dave Umahi&comma; Governor Ben Ayade&comma; Senate President Ahmad Lawan&semi; Governor Badaru Abubakar&comma; Senator Ibikunle Amosun&comma; Senator Ajayi Boroffice and among others&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;