A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday fined a plaintiff, Johnmary Jideobi, N1m over delays in prosecuting a suit seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu, while ruling in the matter, faulted both the plaintiff and his lawyer, Ndubuisi Ukpai, over what he described as lack of diligence in prosecuting the suit.
The judge awarded the N1m cost against Jideobi in favour of Jonathan and described the repeated actions of the plaintiff and his counsel, which allegedly stalled proceedings, as “unacceptable.”
Delivering a ruling, Justice Lifu said political matters required an accelerated hearing in line with judicial policy and noted that the plaintiff had failed to properly prosecute the case filed since October 6, 2025.
The judge said: “I have carefully and painstakingly considered all the submissions and prayers of the learned counsel in this matter.
“As this court has earlier ruled and ordered, this case has a character of politics.
“I have taken judicial notice of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable.
“The duty of this court is to ensure that political cases are given accelerated hearing and disposed of expeditiously.”
The judge consequently ordered the plaintiff to serve all court processes on the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation within two hours.
He also directed the second and third defendants to file their responses before 11 am on May 18, 2026.
Justice Lifu thereafter adjourned the matter till May 18 for a definite hearing of the substantive suit and all pending applications.
The court observed that although the suit was instituted about six months ago, the plaintiff had yet to serve INEC and the AGF with the originating summons.
The judge also recalled that counsel to Jonathan, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, had informed the court during earlier proceedings that the former president only became aware of the suit through media reports before the suit was filed and served with process.
Justice Lifu noted that neither the plaintiff nor his lawyer appeared in court on May 11, despite personally requesting that the matter be fixed for a hearing at 2 pm.
He said that although Jonathan’s lawyer had earlier sought N5m as cost, the court declined the request in the interest of fair hearing.
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“Today, it is crystal clear that the plaintiff did not serve the originating summons to the second and third defendants since October 6, 2025.
“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.
“I hereby award the cost of N1 million against the plaintiff but in favor of the first defendant only,” the judge stated.
Earlier, when the matter was called, neither Jideobi nor Ukpai were initially in court.
However, counsel for Jonathan, Uche, and the lawyer representing the AGF, J.D. Esho, were present.
Following confirmation by the court registrar that hearing notices had been served, Uche urged the court to dismiss the suit with substantial costs over the plaintiff’s repeated absence.
According to him, the plaintiff and his lawyer failed to communicate any reason for their absence to either the court or the defendants.
Uche accused them of showing “absolute disdain and disrespect” to the court.
He said it was surprising that the plaintiff instituted the suit against a former Commander-in-Chief and then abandoned the matter.
“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.
“There must be a consequence for every action.
“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 case for being an abuse of court process.
Counsel to the AGF, Esho, also informed the court that her office had not been served with the plaintiff’s originating processes, despite receiving Jonathan’s response to the suit.
The court registrar equally confirmed that while INEC had been served with a hearing notice for Friday’s proceedings, the commission had not been served with the originating summons.
Ukpai later entered the courtroom midway through the proceedings and apologized for his lateness.
“My lord, I am sorry. I am for the plaintiff. Our vehicle broke down on the way,” he said.
Jideobi had instituted the suit seeking an order restraining former President Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
In the suit, the plaintiff 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.
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