The Federal High Court in Abuja reprimanded Johnmary Jideobi and his lawyer, Ndubuisi Ukpai, for failing to serve court processes in a suit challenging former President Goodluck Jonathan's eligibility for the 2027 election. Justice Peter Lifu imposed a N1 million fine on Jideobi, directing the amount be paid to Jonathan, and described the conduct of the plaintiff and his counsel as unacceptable. The case was filed on October 6, 2025, but as of May 11, 2026, neither the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had been served with the originating summons.
Justice Lifu granted Jideobi a two-hour window from 10:30 am on May 11 to serve the processes on INEC and the AGF. The 2nd and 3rd defendants were ordered to file responses by 11 am on Monday, May 18. The court adjourned the matter to May 18 at noon for hearing, by consent of counsel. The judge cited the National Judicial Policy on case management, stressing the need for expeditious handling of political cases.
The court noted that Jideobi, who is also a lawyer, and Ukpai failed to appear on May 11 despite setting the hearing date. The registrar confirmed that while INEC received a hearing notice, it had not been served with the plaintiff's legal processes. AGF's counsel, J. D. Esho, stated her office had not received the originating summons. Chris Uche, SAN, lawyer for Jonathan, said the former president learned of the suit through the media and proactively filed a response. Uche had requested N5 million in costs, but the court declined, instead awarding N1 million against the plaintiff.
A lawyer suing to block Jonathan's 2027 run failed to serve the very institutions central to the case for seven months, including his own government defendants. The court's N1 million penalty lands squarely on a plaintiff who treated a constitutional matter like a media stunt. When a legal practitioner abandons procedure this openly, the judiciary has no choice but to uphold process over politics. The fine is not about Jonathan—it is about the collapse of professional responsibility at the bar.
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