Court fines plaintiff N1m over delay in Jonathan 2027 suit
Federal Court Imposes Fine in Election Case Against Jonathan
A Federal High Court in Abuja has imposed a fine of 1 million naira on plaintiff Johnmary Jideobi for delays in a case aimed at preventing former President Goodluck Jonathan from running in the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Peter Lifu criticized both Jideobi and his attorney, Ndubuisi Ukpai, for failing to pursue the case diligently. The judge deemed the repeated delays as unacceptable and ordered the fine to be paid to Jonathan.
During his remarks, Justice Lifu emphasized the need for political cases to be addressed promptly. He stated, “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.”
The court directed Jideobi to serve all necessary court documents on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation within two hours. Additionally, the defendants were instructed to file their responses by 11 a.m. on May 18, 2026.
The case has been adjourned until that date for further hearing. The court noted that while the lawsuit was filed on October 6, 2025, the plaintiff had yet to serve INEC and the Attorney-General with the originating processes.
Justice Lifu also recalled that Jonathan’s attorney, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, indicated that the former president learned about the suit through media reports prior to being formally served.
The judge remarked on the absence of both Jideobi and Ukpai in court on May 11, despite their earlier request for a hearing at that time. Uche had initially sought 5 million naira in compensation, but the court reduced the amount to ensure a fair hearing.
