From GODWIN TSA, Abuja
The perceived ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 presidential election has received the blessings of an Abuja High Court, which held that he was eligible to run for the election. Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi held that the tenure of President Jonathan started on May 29, 2011 and not May 2007, because he was not a presidential candidate in the 2007 general election. Besides, it was the position of the court that Jonathan assumed the office of the President by the doctrine of necessity following the death of the then President, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010.
A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Cyriacus Njoku had dragged President Jonathan, PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the High court seeking an order to prevent Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election, having taken the oath of office and oath of allegiance twice. The plaintiff, who is a card carrying member of PDP from Zuba Ward in Abuja, also sought for a perpetual order of injunction to stop PDP from nominating Jonathan for another presidential election and INEC from accepting any nomination of Jonathan as a presidential candidate.
But Justice Oniyangi, who upheld the submissions of the counsel representing Jonathan, Mr. Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN) agreed that Jonathan was not a presidential candidate of PDP in the 2007 election, but only assumed office in 2010 following the death of the elected President. The judge said the combine effects of Section 315 (2) and Section 137 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, which deal with qualification and tenure of office of the President cannot be used to disqualify Jonathan from 2015 presidential election in the absence of established facts that he has been elected twice in the previous elections.
Justice Oniyangi therefore held that, “if Jonathan so wish, he can seek for sponsorship of the PDP or any other political party of his choice to actualise his presidential ambition in 2015 “Let me put on record in order to guide against any mischief, that the court is not saying that the 1st defendant (Jonathan) is an automatic candidate of the PDP or any political party of his choice for 2015 presidential election”, the judge added. Besides, Justice Oniyangi held that part of the grounds of the plaintiff in the suit were speculative because he (plaintiff) failed to establish the fact that the Jonathan was warming up for the 2015 presidential election.
The court also held that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to institute the legal action because he failed to disclose the injuries he will sustain if Jonathan and others are allowed to contest the presidential election with him in 2015. “From the fore-going, I hold that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to file the suit and where a plaintiff has no locus standi to institute a legal action, the court shall have no jurisdiction and in the circumstance, I hold that this court has no jurisdiction and the case is hereby struck out”, the judge held. The court therefore awarded a cost of N20, 000 each, in favour of President Jonathan and PDP to be paid by the plaintiff.
Reacting to the judgment, Counsel to the President, Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN) praised the court for the well considered judgment and advised politicians to always be guided by the principles of the law. However, counsels to the Plaintiff, Mr. Osuagwu Ugochukwu, said the issue of two oaths taken by Jonathan on two different occasions has not been resolved in the judgment and indicated that his client will appeal against the judgment.
HAVE OBJ CLEARED HIM,HAVE HIS NORTHERN GOVERNORS WHOM HE SIGNED A ONE TERM AGREEMENT CLEARED HIM AND WILL THE NIGERIAN MASSES WHOM HE HAS FAILED CLEAR HIM DURING THE MAIN ELECTION THE ANSWER IS NO.
Samson, you’re oga. Elephant hunter’s wife jumps twice in life. When the husband kills an elephant, she jumps for joy; and when the elephant kills her husband, she again jumps, not for joy but, for anguish. President Goodluck Jonathan, with his two hands wide open is celebrating the news of his court victory. In 2015, when the INEC would have come down with the verdict of his loss at the poll, he shall again jump with his two hands open to say Oh my God! what? How can this be?
EVENGELIZE CHRISTOPHER IYIRCHIARO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHOUT GO AND EVENGELIZE TO YOUR FARMILY
President Goodluck Jonathan will breeze again in 2015, you don’t have to doubt it bcos it will surely happen. OBJ or any other group cannot stop that.
Cleared for death I’d say…BH go vex Oooo…Naija is going to be a war zone come 2015…God help us!!!
the north will do this the north will that, na today e don tey the north can go to hell.
good luck is a failure i wount vote for him nor BUHARI
Jonathan will be sworn in again in 2015 after which presidency goes to North. If you want to kill yourself, better start today.
Ahiara mind your self which north after Jonathans second term then the presidency will go to the east.
Jonathan will be there till 2019.
i prefer preffer goodluck to buhiri 100% the north can go to hell for what we care. the country does not belong to them alone. they should respect other decisions.
Good luck, PDP, northerners all we need are good person to occupied the seat come 2015
Not even the devil can stop jonathan,and the north can go to helll for all i care and as for their empty threats it will only end in the north is it not the same group of criminals frm the north dat are still going to contest,as for i will never vote a northerner
WHO IS CYRIACUS NJOKU THAT GOES TO COURT TO CHALLENGE THE PRESIDENT’S ELIGIBILITY? DID HE WANTS TO CONTEST FOR PRESIDENCY IN 2015 OR HE IS ACTING ON SOMEONE’S BEHALF??? A SCRIPT BY SOMEONE VERY POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL….WHAT I AM SURE OF IS THAT NJOKU IS AN IGBO AND THE IGBO ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND JONATHAN FOR 2015…ISN’T IT????
u are very much correct my brother
Good luck, PDP, northerners all we need are good person to occupied the seat come 2015. I will like Igbo man to occupied that post for Igbos know what it takes to make their fellow humanbeing’s fill happy. And the real politics is been played in Igbo land. And whether you people likes it or not Igbo must rule this country for 60 years not PDP. In fact the time are coming when Igbo politicians will be best candidates in every political parties in Nigeria. I wants to let people know that Igbos not being in power for a long time now have made them to gathered experiences so far and I believe God is just refining us for the task ahead. And when that time comes we will fear no north or west all we will fear will be GOD.
JONATHAN THANK GOD FOR YOU…DON’T MAIND SOME CRIMINALS CARRY GO JOOOO
All of you that is talking, have you traveled from Enugu to PH and from Enugu to Abakeliki, Ebonyi state, Enugu to Onitsha, those roads are federal high ways and they’ve never been this bad since the existence of this crap called Nigeria. let us see how Jonathan will make it in 2015, maybe he will other his soldiers to kill over 100,000,000 Nigerians, because i know he can only get the support of 50,000,000 and not the majority. we need a change. for how long are we going to be in this wilderness called Nigeria? nothing is working here, no good roads, no electricity no job, nothing. look at Ghana, they’re now busting that they’re more better than Nigeria interns of infrastructural development and economy, and without doubts, if you go to that country, you wouldn’t want to come back to Nigeria again. what a shame.
Keep quiet my friend,when did you go to Ghana.Some of you will just saydown there in the East and talk nonsense;yet our South East governors are there stealing the zone dry and you people will be singing their praise,calling them Onwa and Ochendo.But if it’s Jonathan every fool will open dirty mouth to talk.
God bles u mr frank.May u live long.
@ brent “yes it is” d bon 2 rule slave mastr(haus/ful) & dia slave(yorba) can go 2 hel. We d biafran r solidly behind GEJ. A PDP chiftain fytn his party, chei abeg witdraw his membshp shap shap jare
the north took us backward for 38yrs Jonathan is not a magician to clean up the mess in a day.
Where is Jonathans paddy Maina, how can he clean up when he is part of the mess.
Tel dem my bros b/c he is respecting democracy can de say all dis nonsense to obj
GEJ 2015 is now confirm. while ifeanyi uba is also confirm for Anambra 2014. GOD is greatest. They must Rule ! watch out
NOTHING TO SHOW FOR THE YEARS YOU RULE GO AND SIT IN SHAME JONATHAN LET ANOTHER PERSON TRY. YOU HAVE FAILED THE POOR PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR YOU.
That Njoku must be a mad man. GEJ for 2015 that is all. This ruling has put paid to shame people like Aliu Babangida that wants power at all cost. After GEJ, the S.E takes their own turn, no human being can alter this arrangement except Almighty God.
Jonathan did not fail any body , if there is any way things are not moving the way it suppose to be , that means it is your ministers not our president, our president means well for our country .
I suggest he pull out from PDP and contest under the umbriller of the new party. My second advise to the president is to try and focus on one particular major problem of Nigeria and solve, Like electricity so that it will be in record that it was during the regime of president Jonathan that the electricity problem was solved, just like during OBJ government Nigerian begin to enjoy GSM, MOBILE PHONE NET WORK that was like a tabu in Nigeria those days is now a history, At least UNCLE SHAGA will always be remembered for that .
so the next president that will take over the seat of power that is after 2019 an IBO MAN will take care of security or Jobs, then if Nigerians really want to fight corrupted government officials any of the current president can choose BUHARI as the head of anti corruption crusade team with full power to…..
For me, I’ll prefere an Igbo man if it will be possibe. But instead of Buhari or another Hausa man or even any other tribe to enter there, then GEJ should remain there. Period.
They shall surely gather but not by me,good judgement someone said ,he raised his hand to the judgement ,that picture was superimposed is an old pix,stop being naive.I have said it all these gang up will fail.
Let me make a prediction of what’ll happen come 2015.BH will not let jona to make election campaign in north.There is 95% probability that boko boys’ll bomb and kill his campaigning group. Jona might stop campaign in north and order INEC to stop elections proceeding till further notice,till when?Treacherous yorubas’ll play le trouble fete about it all.no matter what they say of jona today wont matter those days.they might see it as a great chance to weaken the political strength of north,demystify them and realise the west’s badly kept secret of a confederal Nigeria.On the side of Ndigbo,their lebellious mind will wake from slumber.A very clear chance to give a deadly political blow to north is around.there’ll be unconditional support to jona from ndigbo.
But north’ll not go without fighting like a gradiator.They’ll start by using their usual threat of letal action ie militarily.but their claim to power will meet a south that have found a rallying point base on that struggle.
An attempt to negociate’ll fail cos thing must have gone beyond repair.Some group mainly northerner’ll call on army to take control but vigilance on the part of southerner in there wont let anything to come out of it.
Massob and mend might go violent against northern campaigners in south and everything’ll go messy.Jona’ll sit on the throne indefinitly cos there’ll be claim that northerners and southerners wont accept a president that’s from the either side of the devide.Nigerian unity’ll then be going through a tough test.
A sovereign national conference might impose itself on the issue cos northerner have got no uptions since a renewed refusal might bring a total breakup.this time northerners’ll feel betrayed by yorubas cos yorubas’ll go for confederation alongside Ndigbo and southsouth.pls this comment is base on my own analysis of past and present nigeria geo-politics and not on sentiments.
Sometimes it gives joy to argue from two sides of the lips which some try to do in this forum. Jonathan is not a failure compared to how you and I have failed in our families, our workshops, trading centres, schools, etc. Watch and you will see that he hasn’t failed. He can still surprise us like the Super Eagles did in South Africa. Believe me.
For how long will igbo man be suporters of every zone? When babangida fnish it wiil be our turn,when obasanjo fnish it wiil be our turn,na when goodlock fnish it will our turn. This people must be a capital fools.look at the state of inferstuctures in the south east they are nothing to write home about all the federal roads is in passable no one single federal projct. this igbos must be a profesfional joker
Chei Political prophet ‘say the truth’ you av summarize almost everything and if GEJ media assistant is at alert they shud immediately start working with this prophetic template you av offered.
The North will fight even fiercer but will meet stiff resistances..GEJ is doing well and it will get better that those in the oppositon will av little or nothing to hold against him but so much to hold against his cabinet members.Its so unfortunate that Njoku,Ameachi,Ogbulafor,Wagbara,Rochoas Okorocha have pit themselves against this Baba-Adeboye-bleesed -one(-G.EJ) .true that they will want to de-camp to PDP at the dying minutes but history will still be there for references.
Nigeria politics to me is a humor,comedy i am not in the PDP but it appears that the one that the fair minded is interesting in GEJ,so whether he remains or decamps to whichever party his followers/admirers will thronged after him (TAKE NOTE OF THIS) you may quote me-08172007145
WITHOUT NEW POLITICAL ROAD-MAP AND STRUCTURAL FORMULAR, NO PRESIDENT OR POLITICAL PARTY CAN PERFORM MAGIC WE ALL MAY EXPECT.
Goodluck carry go we are solidly behind u. Let d northerner rost their flesh and chew their bones. Gj must be there come 215 u better start dying now.
Who cares about this arrangee. Court case.GEJ will be disgraced in 2015 if he decides to run.Wait and see.
Note that in ensuing struggle for power, nigeria might get 2 presidents,one from north while the other called jona’stays down south.what do u think’ll be going on during those days?ur guess is as gud as mine.Nigeria might indeed not exist past 2015.Hope there wont be a north/south war to keep this entity united.
If you like make you dey jubilate, the east – west road when pass your home state you not fit do, wait who go vote for you.
Shame on Gej u hv nothing to show for ur first term in office and u are celebrating d court Judgement.God in heaven hs seen dat u hv fail d masses who u decived into votin for u through emotional speeches.God forbid that u smell that seat come 2015
People are so dump to think that the GEJ’s picture used above was him celebrating the court judgement. This shows that some commentators lack dept, discerning mind & know nothing about critical thinking. Its sad and most unfortunate to know that people still belong to the stone age. That happens to be an old picture where GEJ was in a celebrating mood & aptly used here. Or did GEJ invite them for a photo session after the judgement? Only fools think it is easy to get/have access to GEJ. Aso Rock is not a market where anybody walks in at will. Pure & true journalism. People should manage their homes first before blaming GEJ for their failure. Most of these people arrange special exam centers for their kids, wards & buy results. They litter our roads with dirt/ garbage thrown out of vehicles & claim to be saints. Make every body put him house in order 1st & let GEJ do him own bit.
Fellow Nigerians, GEJ may be slow bcos of what it takes to make a decision in a democratic setting. For almost 50 yrs, the country was misruled by some Northern & Western elements and certainly, it will take more than 2 yrs to correct some of the major anomalies. Be patient and give GEJ a chance. God bls Nig.
We have tried jonathan, let us try other people bcos in a country of over 150m, we have people who can do more jonathan, please nigerians let us try other people…
Nigeria is already on fire and Gej travelled to market instead of buying fire extinguisher returned home wit locally made hand-fan to increase the burning capacity of the fire. GEJ, how many times hv i called you, I’m frm Eastern party of the country and ruled out sentiment in my submission, leave Aso villa wit small integrity left wit you. Go home to Otuoke and thank God for His favour so far. Nothing will attract vote for you. You perform below expectation. The south south and East that will vote for you based on sentiment are not enough to crown you president unless you have plan B which is ringing. Note sir my vote and that of my extended families are not for you. GEJ leave don’t mind selfish politicians.
Behold the lion of judea, the anointed one from God, the only man that can deliever nigeria, we nigerians support thee. The great GEJ of nigeria, you have our votes come 2015 and we are ready to defend your mandate.
i wonder y my ppl so bother abt 2015 y d issue of unemployment, insecurity & unstable power suppl are yet to be adressed. if Gej perform well he will get d vote of nigeriia again.
This judge is talking about election while the substance of the case is that he has taken the presidential oath of office twice. If he is incorruptible and untainted, why did he deviate from the issue which is having taken oath of office twice to talk about presenting himsef for election which is
immaterial to the issue in question. There is more than meets the ordinary eyes
Whot are achivement of E G j for four year now in office that will make him think that he has the support of the masses to vote him in again come 2015? Is It the increment of pump prize on january 2012? All the promises of employment, good road, eletricity,the buses shown on N t A for cushiong of high prize effect which was latter shared to party members.pleas let me ask, can any body point out a single change either on employment or inferstuctures in nigeria that has changed after all the trillions an billions of naira they said it will be saved from the increment on pump prize? O b j during his time give millions of nigerians employment through his total privatization on tel communication.2.o b j empolyed 10.000 police men during his frist term in office.3.O.B J.increases works salary that made civil servants to buy cars of their own.4. o b j created F.R .S.C That employed thousound of nigerians inculding niger delta youths.5. O b j created federal road maintainance agence that give employment to many nigerians, including niger delta youths may federal roads where reconstucted.pleas I went the pople of south south an nigeria in genarial to pleas point out one achivement of this adminstration for the preriod of years it has being in power.people should think before voting any body into power not were his come from. This adiministration has nothing to show for the presnt life in office.talkless of secoud term.
The issue here is performance. Has GEJ performed? Is Nigeria better today than he met her. If not, GEJ has no business seeking for another mandate. Excuses are not the reason he was elected but to make life easier for the common man. Now more than two years on, is life better for the poor Nigerian? that’s the question sans emotion.