Azibaola Robert, cousin to former president Goodluck Jonathan, has dismissed reports that the Otuoke-born statesman will not run in the 2027 election.
Robert’s rebuttal comes after reports claimed that Jonathan has decided not to run, so as not to disrupt the existing arrangements within the different political parties.
Although Jonathan has not officially declared his candidacy, strong indications suggest he has begun consultations across the country to actualise a second-term ambition.
Some key members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have openly said they want the former Bayelsa State governor to return to the party to run in the next election.
On Friday, Robert dismissed the report in a post on his verified Facebook page, stressing that Jonathan never said he would not contest in 2027.
He was responding to a Newsweek Nigeria publication titled “Jonathan Rejects Pressure to Contest in 2027, Says He Won’t Be Used Against Southern Unity.”
He described the story as fake and urged Nigerians to disregard it.
He further clarified that the purported “aide of Jonathan” cited as a source in the story does not exist.
“Fake News! No such aide exist, no such statement was made. Neither is this a confirmation that GEJ is running. The media should be aware, people are planting stories. FULL STOP!” he wrote on social media.
