There is a fresh heartbreak for supporters of former President Goodluck Jonathan as laws stated in the Nigerian constitution reveal he might not be able to contest for presidency.
Last Friday, supporters of the formed president stormed his private office at Abuja, chanting “GEJ 2027!” and “Nigeria needs peace again!”, rallying their support for him to recontest for presidency.
From 2007 until Yar’Adua’s death in May 2010, Jonathan was the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s vice president. Following Yar’Adua’s passing, Jonathan took the oath of office.
He went on to win the 2011 presidential election, but former President Muhammadu Buhari defeated him in 2015. Jonathan has become well-known throughout the world for accepting defeat in 2015 and facilitating a smooth handover of power. He has also become one of foremost’s Africa’s leaders who advocate for peace and resolutions in internal and external conflicts.
Why Jonathan might not contest again
After a proper review of some parts of the constitution by ENigeria Newspaper, findings show that some provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as modified) can prevent Jonathan from recontesting.
In 2018, three years after Jonathan left office, the National Assembly, acting to close the constitutional gap exposed by his succession, passed the Fourth Alteration No 16 Act. That legislation introduced section 137(3), which now provides:
“A person who was sworn-in to complete the term for which another person was elected as President shall not be elected to such office for more than one single term.”
The above law is clear when applied to Jonathan’s own record. Jonathan was one of the individuals targeted under section 137(3) since he served out Yar’Adua’s unexpired term in 2010–2011. His election victory in 2011 meant that any such successor could only serve one term in office. Because of this, he has already used up the one election he was permitted to run in following his original succession.
Any subsequent candidacy is prohibited by Section 137(3). Any political party that nominates him runs the risk of squandering its ticket, facing INEC disqualification, and engaging in drawn-out legal proceedings that could ruin its chances of winning the election.
This same law has been applied to a case following a Federal High Court decision in Akure, Ondo State, which declared that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa would not be permitted to run for another term above the constitutional limit.
After taking office in December 2023 to succeed the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa was elected in November 2024 and sworn in in February 2025.
Akin Egbuwalo, an APC member, filed a lawsuit asking the court to interpret tenure-limiting constitutional provisions.
However, there is still disagreement among legal experts regarding whether he falls under the same interpretation, especially considering that the pertinent constitutional modification was made after his reign.
However, the constitution shows his path back to the presidential ballot might be totally impossible.
