Senate orders crackdown on bandits flaunting crime cash on TikTok

Abuja, FCT – By Prime Brief Media

Hearing in the suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election suffered a setback on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja after the plaintiff, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) all failed to appear or send legal representation. The matter, which had been scheduled for hearing at 2 p.m., could not proceed, leaving only Jonathan's legal team present in court.

When the case was called, only Jonathan's lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, was in court. Uche informed Justice Peter Lifu that the matter was fixed for hearing and the court had magnanimously accommodated the parties by setting the proceedings at 2 p.m. He promptly applied for the matter to be struck out for want of diligent prosecution, submitting that the plaintiff's lawyer, Ndubuisi Ukpai, who had been present at the last adjournment, had neither appeared nor sent a letter explaining his absence.

Uche further noted that the plaintiff, Johnmary Jideobi, who is himself a lawyer, was also absent, and no excuse was offered. "My Lord, what it means is that they have lost interest in pursuing the suit, particularly after we have filed and served our notice of preliminary objection and other processes," Uche argued. He added that under the court's rules, the suit could be dismissed for want of diligent prosecution and prayed for it to be struck out with substantial cost of N5 million against the plaintiff.

Justice Lifu, however, directed the court registrar to confirm whether hearing notices had been served on INEC and the AGF, the 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively. The registrar confirmed that neither had been served. In the interest of fair hearing, the judge held that both INEC and the AGF should be afforded another opportunity, noting that INEC is fundamental to the case. "Let us listen to INEC in this matter," the judge said.

Consequently, Justice Lifu adjourned the matter until May 15 for a definite hearing, ordering that hearing notices be issued and served on the plaintiff, INEC, and the AGF for the last time. "In the circumstances of this case, I am minded to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the 2nd and 3rd defendants who have consistently been absent," he stated.

In the preliminary objection filed by his legal team, the former president contends that Jideobi lacked the legal right to file the suit, describing it as "purely speculative, founded on conjecture, premature and predicated on media speculation, as there was no nomination, no election and no cause of action." Jonathan further submitted that the issues raised had already been judicially settled by a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa and sought an order striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction and as constituting a gross abuse of court process.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2102/2025, was filed on 6 October 2025 by Jideobi, who joined INEC and the AGF as 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.

Prime Brief Media is closely following political reactions and will provide updates as the situation evolves.

#Jonathan #EligibilitySuit #Court #Elections2027 #NigeriaPolitics #PrimeBriefMedia