Jonathan Eligible To Contest in 2027, Onoh Counters Onanuga
Former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has insisted that former President Goodluck Jonathan remains constitutionally qualified to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Onoh’s position came in response to remarks by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who had suggested that Jonathan’s eligibility might still require judicial interpretation.
Speaking on Tuesday, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, after obtaining a certified true copy of the judgment affirming Jonathan’s eligibility, Onoh stressed that the matter had already been settled by the courts.
He said a 2022 ruling by Justice Isa Dashen of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa confirmed that Jonathan’s assumption of office in 2010 did not count as an elected term but as a succession under the doctrine of necessity.
According to him, Jonathan was only elected once in 2011, and though he lost his re-election bid in 2015, he did not exhaust his constitutional allowance. Onoh noted that the 2018 constitutional amendment barring anyone sworn in twice from seeking further election could not apply retroactively to Jonathan’s case.
Onoh reminded Onanuga that the judgment, delivered in May 2022 (Suit No. FHC/YNG/CS/86/2022), was never appealed and therefore stands as binding precedent under the doctrine of res judicata.
He also cited earlier rulings, including the 2013 Abuja High Court judgment and the Court of Appeal’s 2015 decision in Cyriacus Njoku v. Jonathan, which reinforced Jonathan’s eligibility.
“Therefore, President Tinubu should not be deceived by anyone telling him otherwise. This was exactly how Jonathan’s inner cabal during the build up to 2015 elections deceived him into believing that he was invisible, that Nigerians loved him, to the extent he was too carried away that he felt invisible and never saw Tinubu coming.
“Tinubu was the invisible magician that cast the spell that led to Jonathan’s loss at the polls. The President should not fall in the same trap by the voices that surround him now. The one major sincere voice he should listen to is his wife, many will betray him in the coming months,” Onoh said.
“Hence I urge Mr. President not to listen to anyone who comes to spin him with legal possibilities of Jonathan’s eligibility because Nigerian jurisprudence, including Supreme Court decisions like Marwa v. Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Pt. 1296) 200, upholds such precedents to ensure legal certainty and prevent endless challenges to settled rights.
“With due respect to Mr. Onanuga, his invocation of future court scrutiny, while respectful of judicial authority, ignores this finality due to statute of limitations and finality hence any hypothetical challenger today would face dismissal for delay, as the core facts (Jonathan’s oaths and elections) are historical and were adjudicated in 2022.
“This chain of unassailed judgments creates an impregnable legal shield. So, in my opinion, eligibility is a settled constitutional right, not open to political conjecture. I’m aware many critics in the past have framed opposition as a “risk” for parties fielding him, will face a disqualification, acknowledging the unresolved tension with the 2018 amendment, but the 2022 ruling resolves it in Jonathan’s favor.
“In essence, the matter is not pending a “jury” (or judiciary) trial; it was conclusively decided. Suggesting otherwise risks undermining judicial authority by implying courts must revisit final verdicts at political whim, eroding the stability essential to Nigeria’s electoral process.
“I owe Mr. President the truth before he’s betrayed again by politicians waving successful statistics around him without any knowledge of how Nigerians truly perceive your administration which isn’t encouraging at the moment but it’s within your powers to change the narratives to your favour.
“To honor the rule of law if Jonathan enters the 2027 race, I advise President Tinubu to engage on visions for economic revival, security, and unity, this elevates the conversation, respecting Jonathan’s cleared path while focusing on voters’ priorities. Nigeria’s democracy thrives when legal finality frees space for ideas, not recycled litigation,” Onoh said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
