Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed reports alleging that he was offered N500 billion to contest the 2027 presidential election against Peter Obi in a bid to divide votes in Nigeria’s South-South region, describing the claim as completely false.
In a statement released on Sunday, Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media, Ikechukwu Eze, said the report, which gained traction on Facebook, was fabricated and lacked any factual basis.
Eze noted that the publication failed to indicate where or when Jonathan allegedly made the statement, who was present during the purported discussion, or who allegedly offered the money, describing the report as a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation and drag the former president into unnecessary political controversy.
He stressed that Jonathan had never received any offer of N500 billion to contest the 2027 presidential election or to undermine the electoral chances of any candidate.
According to Eze, the report lacked the essential details expected of a credible news story, including verifiable sources, dates, locations and witnesses.
He urged Nigerians to disregard the claim and verify politically sensitive information before sharing it, warning that false reports and fabricated quotations often increase as election periods approach.
The clarification comes amid ongoing speculation over Jonathan’s possible return to active politics ahead of the 2027 general election.
In recent months, reports have linked the former president with the Peoples Democratic Party faction led by Kabiru Turaki, which announced him as its presidential candidate during a special national convention held in Abuja on May 30.
Although the faction said Jonathan would later be formally presented with the party’s flag, the ceremony has yet to take place as political discussions ahead of the 2027 election continue.
