Report alleging ₦500bn offer to split S’South votes false, baseless – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has vehemently denied a media report alleging he was offered ₦500 billion to contest against a presidential candidate and split votes in the South-South region. His Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Ikechukwu Eze, issued a statement on Sunday in Abuja, dismissing the publication as "entirely false and baseless."

Eze urged Nigerians to disregard the fabricated report, which he stated was published by a "little-known website." He criticized the report for falsely attributing a statement to Jonathan and failing to meet basic journalistic standards. The statement highlighted the report's lack of crucial details, such as where or when the alleged claim was made, who was present, or who purportedly made the offer.

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

The former president's aide characterized the publication as fake news, deliberately crafted to mislead the public and draw the former president into unwarranted political controversy. While acknowledging that political seasons often see a rise in misinformation, Eze implored Nigerians to verify sensational claims before sharing them and to disregard the report in its entirety.

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The publication bore all the hallmarks of fake news deliberately crafted to mislead the public and drag the former president into unnecessary political controversy.