2023 Presidency: Court clears Jonathan to contest

By Anita Godfrey

The debate to whether Goodluck Jonathan being a former president who was assumed to have taken the two-time oath of office as president is qualified to contest the 2023 presidential election has been put to rest as the Federal High Court sitting in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State cleared him to participate for the further electoral process in the country.

The court on Friday ruled that the former President, Jonathan is eligible and “constitutionally” qualified to contest for president come 2023.

Justice Isa Hamma Dashen who ruled a suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/2022 instituted by Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham, seeking a declaration on the legibility of Jonathan to contest the 2023 presidential election, ruled that Jonathan is qualified to contest.

He further ruled that the only oath of office taken by Jonathan as elected President was on May 29, 2011, after he completed the aborted tenure of late President Umaru Yar’ Adua.

He also ruled that the provision of section 137 (3) cannot apply retroactively to deny former President Jonathan the right to contest, a position earlier canvased by Warri based lawyer, Eric Omare Esq.

Recall, that the plaintiffs had approached the Federal High Court to seek clarification because he had taken the oath of President twice and that by the provision of section 137(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, he cannot seek re-election.2023.