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By John Azu
A Federal High Court in Abuja has slammed the sum of N1 million fine against the lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi who brought the suit questioning the eligibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu on Friday held that the attitude of the plaintiff amounted to delaying the matter which he had brought before the court, describing it as “unacceptable”.
He acknowledged the submission of the counsel to Jonathan, Chris Uche (SAN), who had sought cost of N5 million and a dismissal of the suit following the plaintiff’s absence in the last sitting.
The judge further ordered that the originating summons and pending motions be served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation ahead of the next hearing on Monday, May 18.
Uche, who appeared in court alongside counsel to the AGF, E.G. Esho Esq drew the court’s attention to the Jideobi’s absence.
“The plaintiff (Jideobi) thinks he can hold the court and other parties to ransom, and stay back in the comfort of his house and drag all of us to court,” Uche said.
“They think the courts are toothless bulldog and the dignity of the court must be protected my lord,” he added.
However, midway into the case, a representative of Jideobi, Ndubuisi Ukpai Esq entered the court and apologized for his lateness, attributing it to vehicle breakdown.
In the main suit, Jideobi prayed the court to issue an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 election.
He submits, among others, for a determination of “whether in view of the combined provisions of sections 1(1), (2) and (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant is eligible, under any circumstances whatsoever, to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Jideobi argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional limit allowed for a president, having completed the tenure of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before serving another full term after the 2011 election.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Emmanuel Agida, who deposed on behalf of the plaintiff, said Jonathan was sworn in as president on May 6, 2010, following Yar’Adua’s death a day earlier.
In his counter affidavit, Jonathan also submitted that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to bring the action and that the action seeks to breach his constitutional right to contest the presidency.
Among the contents deposed to by Emmanuel Tsebo, he averred, among others that ‘the 1st Defendant (Jonathan) was thereafter duly elected as President in the 2011 general elections.
“That the 1st defendant completed his tenure in 2015. That the 1st Defendant has not been elected as President more
than once.”
Meanwhile, a source informed Pointblank News that Jideobi have written to the chief judge of the Federal High Court seeking to transfer the matter from the judge court for alleged bias.