Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed reports alleging that he was offered ₦500 billion to contest the 2027 presidential election against Peter Obi as “entirely false and baseless.”
The allegation, which circulated widely on social media, claimed Jonathan rejected a ₦500 billion offer allegedly made to persuade him to enter the 2027 presidential race with the aim of splitting Obi’s support base, particularly in Nigeria’s South-South region. However, the former president, through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Ikechukwu Eze, said the story was fabricated and intended to drag him into unnecessary political controversy ahead of the next general election.
In a statement released on Sunday, Eze described the report as lacking the basic elements of credible journalism, noting that it failed to identify where or when Jonathan allegedly made such remarks, who offered the money, or any witnesses to support the claim. He stressed that Jonathan never made any statement suggesting he was approached with such an offer or that he was considering contesting the 2027 presidential election.
“The publication bears all the hallmarks of fake news deliberately crafted to mislead the public and create unnecessary political tension,” the statement read. Eze urged Nigerians to disregard the report and verify politically sensitive information before sharing it, warning that misinformation could undermine public trust and fuel needless speculation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Jonathan has consistently maintained a low profile since leaving office in 2015, focusing largely on peacebuilding, democracy promotion and election observation across Africa. Although his name has repeatedly surfaced in political speculation because he remains constitutionally eligible to seek another term, the former president has not publicly declared any intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
