Nigeria's Jonathan can contest presidential elections next year, court rules

FILE PHOTO: Goodluck Jonathan, former President of Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Mediator for Mali crisis, attends an extraordinary summit of ECOWAS to hear reports from recent missions to Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea following military coups in those countries, in Accra, Ghana March 25, 2022. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko

YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan can run in next year's presidential election, a court ruled on Friday, clearing doubts over his eligibility and paving the way for him to return to national politics.

Jonathan, who was president from 2010 to 2015, has not yet said if he intends to contests the election. His spokesperson said this month he would not seek the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) party's ticket although a group of supporters from northern Nigeria bought nomination forms for him.