Court fines plaintiff N1m over Jonathan’s 2027 eligibility suit

BLESSING OMALE, Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday reprimanded a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, and his counsel, Ndubuisi Ukpai, over what it described as a lack of diligence in prosecuting a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

Justice Peter Lifu, who condemned the conduct of the plaintiff and his lawyer as “unacceptable,” slammed a N1 million cost against Jideobi in favour of the former president.

Delivering a ruling during proceedings, the judge said the court had taken judicial notice of the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission and stressed the need for speedy handling of political cases.

Justice Lifu noted that despite filing the suit on October 6, 2025, the plaintiff had failed to serve the originating summons on the commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation, who are listed as the second and third defendants in the matter.

According to the judge, the delay had frustrated the hearing of the case and amounted to tardiness unbecoming of a lawyer.

“As this court has earlier ruled and ordered, this case has a character of politics,” the judge said.

“The duty of this court is to ensure that political cases are given accelerated hearings and disposed of expeditiously.”

The court consequently ordered the plaintiff to serve all court processes on the electoral commission and the Attorney-General within two hours of the ruling, while directing the defendants to file their responses before 11am on Monday, May 18, 2026.

The matter was thereafter adjourned to May 18 for a definite hearing of the substantive suit and all pending applications.

Justice Lifu observed that counsel to the former president, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, had earlier informed the court that Jonathan only became aware of the suit through media reports before deciding to file his response and preliminary objection.

The judge also recalled that neither Jideobi nor Ukpai appeared in court on May 11, despite the hearing being fixed at 2 pm at the request of the plaintiff’s lawyer.

Although Jonathan’s counsel had initially requested N5 million as cost against the plaintiff, the court declined the request at the time in the interest of a fair hearing.

However, the judge ruled on Friday that the plaintiff’s continued failure to properly prosecute the case warranted sanctions.

“This case is for hearing today, and the hearing has been frustrated or aborted due to the tardiness of the plaintiff, who is a lawyer by training and calling.

“Consequently, I hold that punishment should lie where the fault is”, Justice Lifu held.

The judge then awarded N1 million in costs against the plaintiff in favour of the former president.

Earlier during proceedings, neither the plaintiff nor his lawyer was initially present in court when the matter was called.

However, counsel to Jonathan, Chief Uche, and the lawyer representing the Attorney-General of the Federation, J.D. Esho, were present.

Following confirmation by the court registrar that hearing notices had been served on the parties, Uche urged the court to dismiss the suit and award substantial costs against the plaintiff for repeatedly failing to appear.

He accused the plaintiff and his counsel of showing “absolute disdain and disrespect” to the court.

According to the senior advocate, it was surprising that the plaintiff instituted the case against a former Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and then abandoned it.

“The plaintiff 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.

“They think the courts are toothless bulldogs, and the dignity of the court must be protected”, Uche said.

He urged the court to invoke its disciplinary powers and dismiss the suit for abuse of court process.

Counsel to the Attorney-General, Esho, also informed the court that although her office had received Jonathan’s response to the suit on May 11, it was yet to be served with the originating summons by the plaintiff.

The court registrar equally confirmed that the electoral commission had only been served with hearing notices and not the substantive court processes.

Midway into the proceedings, Ukpai eventually arrived in court and apologised for his lateness, blaming it on a vehicle breakdown on the way to court.

“My lord, I am sorry. I am for the plaintiff. Our vehicle broke down on the way,” he pleaded.

After listening to submissions from all parties, Justice Lifu adjourned the matter until May 18 for hearing of all pending applications and the substantive suit.

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