Goodluck Jonathan Denies 2027 Presidential Ambition, Disowns Viral Instagram Post

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has distanced himself from a viral Instagram post suggesting he plans to contest the presidency in 2027, dismissing the content as false and unauthorized.

The controversial post, which surfaced on an Instagram account bearing Jonathan’s name, criticized the country’s current leadership and hinted at a possible return to power. It read, “Since our current leaders are pretending to sleep, we pray that we will get our good leadership back in 2027; your choice will determine the betterment of our future.” The message was paired with background music and an AI-generated image of Jonathan shaking hands with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The post quickly gained traction online, racking up over 16,000 views and more than 1,200 comments.

However, Jonathan’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, dismissed the post as fake, clarifying that the former president does not operate any Instagram account. “Former President Jonathan does not own an Instagram account,” Eze told TheCable on Friday, disassociating Jonathan from the publication.

This is not the first time the former president has had to publicly reject politically motivated content circulated in his name. In 2022, Jonathan denied involvement in the purchase of an All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form, which was reportedly acquired for him by a support group ahead of the 2023 elections.

“He was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it,” his media office said at the time.

Goodluck Jonathan, who served as president from 2010 to 2015, peacefully handed over power after losing the 2015 election to Muhammadu Buhari.