Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed a media report claiming he was offered ₦500 billion to contest against Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in an alleged plot to split votes in the South-South.
Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Ikechukwu Eze, described the report as false and baseless, accusing its authors of trying to drag the former president into political controversy.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Eze urged Nigerians to disregard the publication, noting that it originated from an obscure website and wrongly attributed the claim to Jonathan.
He said the report lacked credibility and fell short of basic journalistic standards, pointing out that it failed to specify where or when Jonathan supposedly made the claim, or who was involved in the alleged offer.
According to Eze, the story bore all the hallmarks of fabricated news designed to mislead the public and stir needless political tension. He said it was clearly crafted to link Jonathan to statements he never made.
Eze added that as political activity intensifies ahead of future elections, misinformation and false attributions are becoming more frequent. He called on Nigerians to disregard the report entirely and verify sensational claims before sharing them.
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