Former President Goodluck Jonathan denies a viral report claiming he was offered N500 billion to contest the 2027 presidential election against Peter Obi, allegedly to split votes in Nigeria’s South-South region. Multiple outlets report that Jonathan made the clarification through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Ikechukwu Eze, in a statement issued on Sunday.
Eze describes the speculation as false, baseless, and aimed at dragging Jonathan into unnecessary political controversy. According to the media aide, the report falsely attributes to Jonathan a disclosure that he received the alleged offer, and it does not include basic details expected in credible reporting, such as when and where the statement was made, who made the offer, or witnesses supporting the claim.
The outlets agree that Jonathan’s camp is urging the public to disregard the story and exercise caution about sensational political allegations. The denial is presented as a response to circulating misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Jonathan stating he has not made any statement suggesting he was offered money to challenge the presidency or undermine another candidate.
