Abuja, Nigeria Reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan has stepped aside from the 2027 presidential race have been firmly denied by his family. On August 29, 2025, his cousin, Azibaola Robert, posted on his verified Facebook page that Jonathan never made such a statement, warning Nigerians to discard the claim as fake news (vanguardngr.com, legit.ng).

The claim originated from a Newsweek Nigeria article titled “Jonathan Rejects Pressure to Contest in 2027, Says He Won’t Be Used Against Southern Unity,” which Robert dismissed as entirely untrue. He further debunked that the “aide” quoted in the report does not exist 

Although Jonathan has not officially declared a run for 2027, Azibaola clarified that he has also not ruled out the possibility. He emphasized that Jonathan resists being swayed by voices seeking to discourage his potential candidacy for their own motives.