Former President Goodluck Jonathan has debunked a media report alleging that he was offered ₦500 billion to contest against the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi in order to split votes in the South-South.
Jonathan in a statement on Sunday, July 5, 2026, by Dr Ikechukwu Eze, his Special Adviser on Media, described the report as totally false, baseless and a deliberate attempt to drag him into political controversy.
The former president therefore urged Nigerians to disregard the publication, which he noted emanated from a little-known website and falsely attributed the claim to him.
Jonathan further said that the report lacked credibility just as it failed to satisfy the basic standards 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,” the statement said.
Jonathan through his spokesperson also noted that the publication bore all the hallmarks of fake news deliberately crafted to mislead the public and create unnecessary political tension.
The According to him; “The report is a fabricated story aimed at associating me with claims I never made”.
The statement noted that as political activities gather momentum ahead of future elections, the spread of misinformation and false attributions had become increasingly common.
The former president urged Nigerians to disregard the report in its entirety and exercise caution by verifying sensational claims before sharing them.
