• APC shrugs off candidacy, PDP hails judgment, stakeholders divided • Goodluck Nigeria Movement expands across Northern states From Fred Itua, Romanus Ugwu, Ndubuisi Orji, Godwin Tsa, Abuja; Tony Osauzo, Benin; Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa, Tony John, Port Harcourt and Damiete Braide The Federal High Court, Abuja, ruling which cleared the path for former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election has triggered contrasting reactions across the country’s major political divides; sparking celebration in a faction of the main opposition party, indifference from the ruling party and solemn warnings from elder statesmen and civil society stakeholders. A legal practitioner, Johnmary Jideobi, had instituted a suit seeking an order restraining Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election. The plaintiff had specifically asked the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate. He asked the court to determine whether, having regard to Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan remains eligible to seek the office of president again. But in his ruling yesterday, Justice Peter Lifu held that Jonathan could participate in the election as a contestant. According to Lifu, the suit was a waste of the court’s precious time because a Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal had already held that Jonathan was eligible to run, adding that he was bound by the decision of the appellate court. “I am bound by the above decision of the Court of Appeal and this court, I have no more to add”, Lifu said. Justice Lifu held that Jideobi lacked the locus standi (legal right) to file the suit, having not suffered any loss from his thinking that Jonathan has the intention to contest the next presidential election. Justice Lifu also dismissed the Jideobi’s motion seeking the judge’s withdrawal from the case for being frivolous. Justice Lifu awarded a cost of N20 million against the plaintiff to be paid to Jonathan and another N1 million against the plaintiff, to be paid to the second defendant, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The lawyer had, in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, queried Jonathan’s eligibility on the premise that he had already been sworn in as president on two occasions. Reacting to the verdict, the Presidency dismissed it as a mere distraction while reaffirming President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to national reforms. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who responded via text message to Daily Sun’s inquiry, emphasised the administration’s respect for the rule of law and judicial independence. He noted that Nigeria lives under an administration that respects the rule of law and supports the judiciary, explaining that under local laws, whoever qualifies can run for any office and the administration is not bothered about Goodluck Jonathan running or not. ​Dare added that the Tinubu administration’s focus remains squarely on delivering tangible results for Nigerians, stating that the government is more concerned about the success of its reforms and the betterment of the lives of citizens, dismissing the unfolding political rigmarole as expected distractions. He expressed full confidence in President Tinubu’s preparedness for the 2027 electoral contest, asserting that the president stands on solid grounds with the decisions he has made and will roundly defeat any Joe or anyone that shows up. But the Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tanimu Turaki hailed the court’s decision as a triumph of both jurisprudence and logic. In a statement released by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party emphasized that the ruling ensures justice is served, noting that laws cannot be applied retroactively to strip individuals of their fundamental rights. “This judgment is clearly in alignment with the law and common sense, as laws cannot have a retroactive or retrospective effect.” stated. The opposition faction slammed the lawsuit as a vexatious distraction and an abuse of the judicial system, designed by political detractors to derail the nation’s democratic journey. It also welcomed the punitive fines imposed on the plaintiff, suggesting it would deter “busybodies and irritants” from weaponizing the courts. With the PDP primaries scheduled to take place on May 28, 2026, Ememobong declared that the legal victory, alongside a previously granted screening waiver, leaves the pathway completely clear for Jonathan’s potential “presidential rescue mission.” In contrast, the All Progressives Congress (APC) maintained a frosty distance from the entire legal drama. When pressed for a reaction, the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, dismissed the significance of the court ruling to APC’s fortunes. In a terse, uncompromising message, Basiru stated that the court’s decision regarding the former president was of no consequence to them. “Not our business or concern,” Basiru wrote in a brief response. Legal experts and regional leaders have universally commended the decision, viewing it as a consolidation of democratic tenets. Port Harcourt-based constitutional lawyer, Chief Festus Ogwuche, described it as an “established precedence” that offers critical judicial clarity to douse lingering arguments. Ogwuche noted that the verdict aligns with existing case laws, drawing a parallel to the United States Supreme Court’s approach to determining tenure based on the actual duration a vice president exercises executive power following a predecessor’s demise. Echoing this sentiment, Chairman of the Civil Liberty Organisation in Bayelsa State, David West, noted that the judgment agreed with previous decisions of coordinate jurisdiction. He remarked that even though Jonathan’s candidacy remains within the realm of speculation, the legal resolution is a welcome development. Similarly, Professor Benjamin Okaba, immediate past President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), expressed delight that the ruling would finally lay several controversies to rest. Okaba argued that Jonathan should present himself to the electorate, as his inclusion would provide robust options for Nigerians. A note of caution emerged from Benin City, where former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Roland Owie, urged the former president to resist the urge to return to the political trenches. Reflecting on a long personal friendship with Jonathan dating back to his days as deputy governor of Bayelsa State and his eventual ascension to the presidency following the demise of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Owie pleaded with the former leader to protect his legacy. Owie advised Jonathan against stepping into the volatile presidential race, framing the move as an unnecessary gamble. “I want to strongly advise him, he should not gamble to run for the Presidency,” Owie warned. “I advise him for his interest and that of his wife.” As the clock ticks down to the crucial party primaries, the court’s decision has undoubtedly rewritten the script for the upcoming political season, leaving Nigerians to wonder whether the man from Otuoke will indeed heed the call to return to the State House. Meanwhile, the Goodluck Nigeria Movement has begun activating ward-level structures across Northern Nigeria following the Court ruling that effectively removes a major legal obstacle to the former president’s potential return to the presidential race. Speaking in Kano, Mallam Isa, the group’s state coordinator, said the court’s decision has energized supporters across the region noting that its focus has shifted from legal uncertainty to grassroots mobilisation. “The court has spoken. The question now is what Nigerians want,” he said. “Across the North, people are saying they want stability, experience, and leadership that delivered before. We are organizing to make that voice visible.” According to the group, its online coordination platforms recorded rapid growth within 24 hours of the judgment, with more than 3,000 new members joining its WhatsApp and Telegram networks. Organisers also confirmed that physical meetings were held over the weekend in local government areas across Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, Niger and Plateau states. In Niger State, coordinator Suleiman said local mobilisation has already begun independently of national political calculations. “We are not waiting for Abuja,” he said. “The people on the ground are building structures from the ward up. Parties may continue internal debates, but citizens are organising around competence and leadership.” The movement says it plans to compile a citizens’ memorandum on national priorities within the next seven days. The document will outline concerns around security, economic recovery, and national unity, and will be formally forwarded to Jonathan’s office. Daniel, the movement’s national mobilisation lead, said the initiative is intended to reflect public sentiment while respecting the former president’s decision-making process. “We respect former President Goodluck Jonathan’s right to consult widely before making any decision,” he said. “Our role is to ensure that when he decides, he sees an organized, peaceful, and nationwide movement ready to work.” The Goodluck Nigeria Movement also called on Nigerians across party lines to join ward-level coordination groups, describing the campaign as citizen-led, issue-driven, and committed to non-violence as political conversations ahead of 2027 continue to gather momentum.