Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed a media report alleging that he was offered ₦500 billion to contest against Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in a bid to split South-South votes.

A statement issued by Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media, Ikechukwu Eze, described the report as “entirely false and baseless.”

Eze urged Nigerians to disregard what he called a fabricated report that falsely attributed the claim to the former president.

According to him, the report failed to state where or when Jonathan allegedly made the statement, who was present, or who purportedly made the alleged offer.

He said that the publication bore “all the hallmarks of fake news deliberately crafted” to mislead the public and drag Jonathan into unnecessary political controversy.

Eze noted that election seasons are often characterised by a surge in misinformation and false attributions

“Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, expressing appreciation to Atiku for the confidence reposed in him.”

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has appointed actor-turned-politician and ADC chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo as his spokesperson.

Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, expressing appreciation to Atiku for the confidence reposed in him.

“I give God all the glory for being appointed by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar as his spokesperson. I thank His Excellency for the immense confidence reposed in me,” he said.

He described the appointment as a reflection of Atiku’s leadership style, noting that the former vice president values dialogue and inclusiveness over resentment.

“Rather than take offence at associates for expressing genuine reservations about any action taken, His Excellency always opts for dialogue and compromise that engender solutions to problems,” Okonkwo stated

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have successfully uploaded the names and particulars of their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi., Peter Obi/ Rabiu Kwankwaso.

The two parties confirmed the development respectively on the X and Facebook.

ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, announced on Wednesday that the party had successfully uploaded the names and particulars of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi.

In a post on his X handle, Abdullahi described the submission as another milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

Similarly, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, disclosed that he had completed his INEC nomination form, using the occasion to call for greater transparency in the electoral process and a renewed focus on governance.

In a post on his Facebook page, Obi said one of the questions on the nomination form, asking whether an aspirant had ever been labelled a lunatic or declared to be of unsound mind, prompted him to reflect on the state of leadership in Nigeria.