Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that he is still consulting over growing calls for him to contest the 2027 presidential election as a Federal High Court in Abuja prepares to hear a suit challenging his eligibility to run again. Jonathan spoke on Thursday in Abuja while receiving youth groups who visited him to urge him to join the presidential race.
The former president explained that contesting for the nation’s highest office was a serious matter that required careful thinking and discussions with different groups. He said he would not make a rushed political decision and would continue consulting before deciding on his next move ahead of the 2027 election.
Jonathan also praised the young people for showing concern about the future of the country. He said their involvement in national issues showed patriotism and interest in Nigeria’s development. He urged Nigerian youths to continue promoting peace and credible elections, warning that many qualified citizens often avoid politics because of concerns about the electoral process.
He further expressed concern over low voter turnout during elections in Nigeria. According to him, the country records poor participation during elections despite having a large number of registered voters. Jonathan said electoral authorities needed to study the reasons behind the low turnout and find ways to improve public confidence in elections.
The former president also advised young Nigerians to become active participants in politics by obtaining their voter cards and taking part in elections instead of remaining passive observers. He added that leadership problems over the years had contributed to the negative image of Nigerians abroad.
While Jonathan was speaking with the youth groups, the Federal High Court in Abuja fixed Friday for hearing in a suit seeking to stop him from contesting the 2027 presidential election. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed by lawyer Johnmary Jideobi.
The plaintiff asked the court to declare Jonathan constitutionally ineligible to seek the presidency again. The suit also requested an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
Justice Peter Lifu had earlier ordered hearing notices to be served on all parties in the case after the defendants failed to file responses. Jonathan is listed as the first defendant, while INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation are also joined in the matter.
According to the plaintiff, Jonathan already completed the constitutional limit allowed for a Nigerian president. The suit argued that Jonathan first took office in May 2010 after the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later won the 2011 presidential election to serve a full term.
The plaintiff maintained that if Jonathan contests and wins in 2027, he would be taking the presidential oath for a third time, which he claimed would violate the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Democratic Congress denied reports claiming it had reached an agreement with Jonathan ahead of the 2027 election. The party said discussions about its presidential ticket were still ongoing and no final decision had been taken.
The Deputy National Spokesman of the NDC, Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, stated that the party had not zoned its presidential ticket and was still consulting widely with political stakeholders. He disclosed that several former governors, ex-ministers, lawmakers and politicians from different parties were already showing interest in joining the platform.
Abdulsalam dismissed reports linking Jonathan to the party’s presidential ticket as speculation. However, he noted that the former president remained free to contest under any political platform if he chose to do so.