Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed a viral report alleging that he was offered ₦500 billion to contest the 2027 presidential election against National Democratic Congress, NDC, candidate Peter Obi in order to split South-South votes.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Dr. Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media, described the report as “entirely false and baseless.”
The report, published by what Eze called a “little-known website,” claimed Jonathan made a statement confirming that he had been approached with the huge sum to run against Obi.
Eze said the publication failed every basic test of journalism.
“The report failed to state where or when Jonathan allegedly made such a claim, who was present or who purportedly made the alleged offer,” he noted.
According to Eze, the story bears all the hallmarks of fake news deliberately manufactured to mislead the public and drag the former president into unnecessary political controversy.
He urged Nigerians to disregard the report in its entirety, especially as the country approaches another election cycle when misinformation and false attributions tend to spike.
“While we acknowledge that the approach of a political season often comes with a surge in misinformation, we urge the public to verify sensational claims before sharing them,” Eze said.
The rebuttal comes amid heightened political activity, with reports of various factions within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, making moves ahead of 2027. One PDP faction was also reported to have changed the venue for an event where Jonathan was to be ratified as a presidential candidate, with organizers stating, “We won’t be intimidated.”
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, has remained largely out of partisan politics since leaving office, though his name continues to surface in speculation ahead of elections.
Eze reiterated that Jonathan has not authorized any statement regarding a ₦500 billion offer, nor has he made any declaration about contesting in the next presidential race
He called on media platforms and the public to be cautious of unverified reports aimed at stirring division