The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.
The presiding judge, Justice Isa Hamma Dashen gave the judgement on Friday.
He also held that Jonathanโs right to vie for the office of president again cannot be stopped by any retroactive law.
Jonathan, who was elected as Vice-President alongside the late President Umaru YarโAdua in 2007, was inaugurated as President in 2010 following the death of YarโAdua. In 2011, he ran for election and was again inaugurated.
In 2015, while running for another term, the courts ruled that Jonathan was eligible to contest as his first inauguration was done to complete YarโAduaโs tenure.
However, in 2018, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), 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 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.
Meanwhile, it was learnt on Thursday that the Presidency cabal led by Daura, the Presidentโs influential nephew, is supporting Jonathan to succeed Buhari.
Daura had visited Jonathanโs Abuja home on Wednesday and the two were seen shaking hands in a photo posted by Sahara Reporters.
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