Goodluck Jonathan, the former president of Nigeria, has refuted claims that he was given ₦500 billion to run against Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election in order to divide votes in the South-South.

The former president called the report “false, baseless, and a deliberate attempt to drag him into needless political controversy” in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media, Ikechukwu Eze.

According to Eze, the magazine falsely stated that Jonathan had admitted receiving such an offer, but it omitted crucial information required of a reliable report, such as the time or location of the purported remark, the identity of the purported offeror, or any witnesses to back up the allegation.

He went on to say that the tale had all the characteristics of fake news meant to deceive the public and incite needless political unrest in advance of Nigeria’s national elections in 2027.

Asserting that the previous president never made such a statement, Jonathan’s media team advised the people to ignore the report.

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

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

“The build-up to every election season often witnesses a surge in misinformation and fake attributions, warning that 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,” Eze said.