Jonathan Denies N500bn Offer to Challenge Peter Obi, Labels Report Fake News

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed as false a media report claiming he was offered N500 billion to contest against the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in a bid to split votes in the South-South.

Jonathan, through a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Ikechukwu Eze, described the publication as entirely false, baseless and a deliberate fabrication aimed at dragging the former president into unnecessary political controversy.

According to Eze, the report, published by what he described as a little-known website, falsely attributed a statement to Jonathan alleging that he had been offered N500 billion to enter the presidential race.

He argued that the publication failed to meet the basic standards of journalism, noting that it did not indicate where or when Jonathan allegedly made the claim, who was present, or who supposedly made the offer.

“The report failed to state where or when Jonathan allegedly made such a claim, who was present or who purportedly made the alleged offer,” Eze stated.

He said the publication bore all the hallmarks of fake news deliberately designed to mislead the public and create unnecessary political tension.

While acknowledging that election periods often witness an increase in misinformation and false attributions, Eze urged Nigerians to disregard the report in its entirety and verify sensational claims before sharing them.

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