Jonathan Denies Withdrawing From 2027 Presidential Race

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has refuted reports claiming he has withdrawn from the 2027 presidential race.

The denial follows a Newsweek Nigeria article alleging that the Otuoke-born leader decided not to run to preserve Southern unity.

Although Jonathan has not formally declared his candidacy, indications suggest he has been holding nationwide consultations about a possible second-term bid.

On Friday, his cousin, Azibaola Robert, debunked the report in a Facebook post, insisting Jonathan never said he would not contest in 2027. He dismissed the story as fake and urged Nigerians to ignore it, noting that the so-called “aide of Jonathan” mentioned as a source does not exist.

Azibaola explained that while Jonathan has yet to announce whether he will run, he has also not ruled himself out. He added that Jonathan “would not yield to calls not to run, since those making such admonitions had selfish motives,” though he gave no details on when or how Jonathan might formally make his decision known.