Court Paves the Way For Jonathan to Contest in 2015

A high court in Nigeria has ruled that President Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to stand again for president in 2015.

Nigeria has a two-term limit for presidents and Mr Jonathan began serving his first full term in 2011.

But he led the country from early 2010 following the illness and eventual death of then President Umaru Yar'Adua for whom he served as deputy.

A presidential aspirant from within the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) had argued that this disqualified him.

The Abuja High Court dismissed the argument made by Cyriacus Njoku's lawyer that under the constitution the same person could not take the oath of office three times.

The PDP and its presidential candidate have won every election since military rule ended in 1999.

Last month, Nigeria's four main opposition parties merged to form All Progressive Congress (APC) party in order to challenge the PDP in two years' time.