Former President Goodluck Jonathan is not on the list of presidential aspirants expected to be screened by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State last Friday declared that Jonathan is eligible and “constitutionally” qualified to contest for president in 2023.
In his judgment, Justice Hamma Adama Dashen said Jonathan is not affected by the fourth alteration to the constitution barring Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.
In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the fourth alteration of the 1999 Constitution which bars Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.
Jonathan was Nigeria’s vice-president between 2007 and 2010. He became the president in May 2010 following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and completed the latter’s tenure.
He won the 2011 presidential election but lost his attempt to secure a second term in office in 2015.
According to SaharaReporters the judgment was part of the plans of the Aso Rock cabal supporting Jonathan to have the former President take over from President Muhammadu Buhari.
The newspaper last Thursday reported that Jonathan had submitted his N100 million presidential nomination and expression of interest forms a few days earlier to the National Chairman of the ruling party, Abdullahi Adamu.
However, his name is missing on the list of 23 presidential aspirants released by the APC. Names of the presidential aspirants for screening as listed by APC:
1. Chukwuemeja Uwaezuoke Nwajiuba 2. Badaru Abubakar 3. Robert A. Boroffice 4. Uju Ken-Ohanenye 5. Nicholas Felix 6. Nweze David Umahi 7. Ken Nnamani 8. Gbolahan B. Bakare 9. Ibikunle Amosun 10. Ahmed B. Tinubu 11. Ahmad Rufai Sani 12. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi 13. Oladimeji Sabon Bankole 14. John Kayode Fayemi 15. Godswill Obot Akpabio 16. Yemi Osinbajo 17. Rochas Anayo Okorocha 18. Yahaya Bello 19. Tein Jack-Rich 20. Christopher Onu 21. Ahmad Lawan 22. Ben Ayade 23. Ikeobasi Mokelu
