{{In Nigeria, Abuja High Court Friday declared President Goodluck eligible to contest the 2015 presidential election if he so desires.}}<\/p>\n
Delivering a judgment in an action brought by Mr. Cyriacus Njoku challenging Jonathan\u2019s eligibility to contest the election, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi held that the president\u2019s assumption of office in 2010 as a result of the death of then President Umaru Musa Yar\u2019Adua, was caused by \u201cdoctrine of necessity\u201d motion adopted by the National Assembly.<\/p>\n
Njoku, who is also a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had filed the action against Jonathan, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking an order to prevent Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election, having taken the oath of office and oath of allegiance twice. <\/p>\n
The plaintiff, who is a card carrying member of PDP from Zuba Ward in Abuja, also prayed 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.<\/p>\n
However, Justice Oniyangi declined Njoku\u2019s request as he held that since Jonathan did not emerge president through a by-election after late President Yar\u2019Adua\u2019s death, he could contest.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the death of Umar Yar\u2019Adua, there was no election or by-election. President Jonathan was merely asked to assume the office of the president in line with the doctrine of necessity.<\/p>\n
He was not elected as the president but was made to assume office by virtue of Yar\u2019Adua\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving exhausted the late president\u2019s tenure, he sought for his party\u2019s ticket and ran for the office of the president successfully in 2011 general election. <\/p>\n
He is therefore currently serving his first tenure of office and if he so wishes, he is eligible to further seek his party\u2019s ticket through the party\u2019s primary election and to run for office in 2015,\u201d Justice Oniyangi said.<\/p>\n
The Judge ruled that President Jonathan\u2019s tenure as president started running in May 29, 2011 when he took the oath of office and not on May 6, 2010, when he assumed office after Yar\u2019Adua passed away.<\/p>\n
Nguardian<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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