Don, Others File Fresh Disqualification Suit Against Jonathan

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed February 11 for the hearing
of a fresh suit seeking an order barring President Goodluck Jonathan
from contesting the February 14 poll.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed, who also presides over two other suits
challenging Jonathan's eligibility to seek another term in office,
fixed Tuesday for the hearing of the suit.

The plaintiffs in the fresh suit are Prof. Tunde Samuel, Dr. Junaid
Mohammed, Mr. Rasak Adeogun and Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu.

In an originating summons filed through their counsel, Yusuf Ali
(SAN), the plaintiffs contended that Jonathan was ineligible to
re-constest the office of the President, as allowing him to do so
could amount to him spending more than eight years allowed for anyone
to serve in the office.

They want the court to declare that by virtue of the provisions of the
Constitution it was "unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal and not
permissible for any person to occupy the office of the president of
Nigeria for more than a cumulative and aggregate period of eight years
when the country is not at war."

They contended that if Jonathan wins another term of your years in
2015, he would have been permitted to occupy the office of President
for more than eight years.

They asked the court to declare that in computing the period already
spent in office as president by Jonathan, the period from May 6, 2010
to May 28, 2011 should be reckoned with.

They also sought a declaration that having spent a period of more
than four years in office as president since May 6, 2010, Jonathan no
longer had the "competence, authority or entitlement to contest the
same office for another term of four years."
--PUNCH