Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed reports claiming he has abandoned plans to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The rebuttal came after a publication alleged that the Otuoke-born leader had chosen not to run in order to preserve Southern unity.
Although Jonathan has yet to formally declare his ambition, there are indications that he has been holding consultations nationwide with political stakeholders about a possible return bid.
His cousin, Azibaola Robert, debunked the claims in a post on his verified Facebook page on Friday. He described the report, published by Newsweek Nigeria and titled “Jonathan Rejects Pressure to Contest in 2027, Says He Won’t Be Used Against Southern Unity”, as false and misleading.
“Jonathan never said he would not contest in 2027,” Azibaola clarified, adding that the purported “aide” quoted in the story was fictitious.
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He further stated that while the former president has not declared his candidacy, he has equally not ruled himself out of the race.
“The former president has made it clear that he would not yield to calls not to run, since those making such admonitions had selfish motives,” he said.
Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, remains a significant political figure, with speculations about his return to the ballot continuing to dominate discussions ahead of the 2027 elections.