Jonathan has not ruled out 2027 presidential bid – Cousin

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin has debunked reports claiming the ex-President has stepped aside from the 2027 presidential race.

The clarification comes after a publication alleged that Jonathan had opted out of the contest to preserve Southern unity.

Although the former president has not officially declared his ambition, strong indications suggest he has been consulting political stakeholders across the country ahead of the next election.

In a post on his verified Facebook page on Friday, Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola Robert, dismissed the report as false, insisting that the former leader never said he would not run.

Azibaola was reacting to a story published by Newsweek Nigeria titled “Jonathan Rejects Pressure to Contest in 2027, Says He Won’t Be Used Against Southern Unity.” He urged Nigerians to ignore the report, describing it as fake.

He also clarified that the so-called “aide of Jonathan” quoted as a source in the report does not exist.

According to Azibaola, while Jonathan has yet to announce his decision, he has 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,” Azibaola stated, without disclosing when Jonathan might make a formal declaration.