‘I Was Never Offered ₦500bn’ — Jonathan Denies Alleged Plot to Split South-South Votes Against Peter Obi

…Says Report Is False, Baseless, Fabricated Ahead of 2027 Elections

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has strongly denied reports alleging that he was offered ₦500 billion to contest the 2027 presidential election as part of a purported plot to divide votes in the South-South and weaken the electoral chances of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Jonathan, in a statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media, Ikechukwu Eze, described the report as false, baseless and deliberately fabricated to drag the former Nigerian leader into unnecessary political controversy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to Eze, Jonathan was never offered ₦500 billion to join the presidential race, neither did he make any statement claiming that such an offer was made to him.

The media aide faulted the publication for failing to provide basic details expected of a credible news report, including where and when Jonathan allegedly made the statement, the identity of the person or group said to have made the offer, and whether there were witnesses or evidence to substantiate the claim.

He said the absence of such crucial details showed that the report bore the hallmarks of fabricated news designed to mislead Nigerians and create unnecessary political tension.

“Jonathan was never involved in the ‘N500 billion offer to divide the South’s votes against Peter Obi in the 2027 general elections,’” Eze stated.

He stressed that the former president had never suggested, publicly or privately, that he was offered money to contest the presidency or undermine the political ambition of any candidate.

The statement urged Nigerians to completely disregard the report and exercise greater caution when consuming and sharing politically sensitive information, particularly as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Nigerians should disregard the report entirely and exercise caution by verifying sensational political claims before circulating them,” Eze said.

He warned that election seasons in Nigeria are often accompanied by a rise in misinformation, fabricated reports and false statements attributed to prominent political figures.

“The build-up to every election season often witnesses a surge in misinformation and fake attributions. Such reports should not be mistaken for verified facts.

“Jonathan has not made any statement suggesting he was offered money to contest the presidency or undermine any candidate,” he added.

The denial comes amid growing political speculation over possible alignments, alliances and presidential ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, has continued to feature prominently in political discussions, with occasional speculation surrounding his possible return to the presidential race.

However, the former president has not publicly declared an intention to contest the 2027 election.

His media office maintained that attempts to associate him with an alleged ₦500 billion political deal or a plot to divide votes against Peter Obi are entirely false and should be treated as misinformation.

The statement further called on media organisations, political commentators and members of the public to verify sensational claims before publishing or circulating them, warning that unverified political reports could mislead the public and inflame unnecessary tension.

Jonathan’s camp insisted that the former president remains focused on his engagements and should not be dragged into political controversies through fabricated statements or unsupported allegations.