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. More»
