The Court of Appeal today in Abuja determined that Nigeria’s incumbent President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is indeed eligible to seek reelection come March 28, 2015.
Cyracus Njoku had filed a suit in 2013 and although the High Court affirmed that Goodluck Jonathan could contest the elections, he went on to appeal the verdict of the High Court.
The bone of contention was basically whether or not Goodluck Jonathan could have been said to have exhausted the constitutional provision of not more than two tenures of four years each having taken over from the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua.
The court held that President Goodluck Jonathan was not elected President in 2009 but was merely following the constitutional provision that in the case of the death of a President, his Vice President would take over.
“He (Jonathan) has not been elected twice. He only completed the unexpired tenure of the late President Yaradua. His tenure started on May 29, 2011.”
“The operative word is election. The Constitution says if one had been elected at two previous elections.
Today’s judgment lays to rest any further notions of questioning the legality of the President running for reelection.