Suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility withdrawn

Ahmed Mohammed, a justice of the federal high court, has set aside the suit challenging the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan to contest next month’s election after the plaintiffs backed out of the suit.

In a joint suit by four people, the court was asked to declare Jonathan ineligible to contest the election because he had taken the oath of office twice and victory at the poll would mean that he would take the oath a third time in contravention of the constitution.

Junaidu Mohammed, Tunde Samuel, Rasak Adeogun and Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu, who filed the suit maintained that Jonathan took the oath in 2009 when he succeeded the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and in 2011 after winning the election.

However, when the case was called for hearing on Wednesday, Alex Okoja, counsel to the plaintiffs, asked the court to terminate proceedings on ‎the matter because his clients had withdrawn the case.

On his part, Ade Okeanya-Inneh, counsel to Jonathan responded by seeking that the court award cost against the plaintiffs for filing frivolous charges.

In his ruling, the judge sanctioned the plaintiffs by awarding a cost of N50,000.

“A party who took out an action against another party and went ahead to cause a hearing notice to be issued by the court on that party, only to turn around and withdraw the matter, must be ready for some sanction,” he ruled.