IN SHORT: According to a screenshot doing the rounds on social media, former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan has said president Bola Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election. But Jonathan has denied making such a statement, and the article in the screenshot doesn’t exist.
A Facebook post claims Nigeria’s former president Goodluck Jonathan has predicted that current president Bola Tinubu will again emerge victorious in the country’s 2027 presidential election.
The post, dated 18 April 2025, features a screenshot of what appears to be an article from the online news outlet, Daily Post. The article is headlined: “Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election - Goodluck Jonathan.”
Jonathan, a member of the People’s Democratic Party, was president of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. When his tenure ended, he oversaw the country’s first peaceful transfer of power to an opposition party after he conceded defeat to Muhammadu Buhari. He has since become a respected voice on political matters in the country.
Tinubu was sworn in as president on 29 March 2023. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is eyeing a second term in the next presidential election.
There have been calls for political parties to form a coalition to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.
The same claim was found here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But did Jonathan make the statement attributed to him? We checked.
‘Fake news’
Africa Check found no news reports of Jonathan making such a statement, which would have made headlines if it were true.
While the screenshot appears genuine, there is no such headline on the Daily Post’s website or social media accounts. The Facebook posts also don’t include a link to the article.
On 15 April, Jonathan’s special adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, debunked the claim on Facebook.
“The attention of the Media Office of His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2010-2015) has been drawn to a piece of false information with the above title, currently spreading on a segment of the social media. This is fake news fabricated by agents of disinformation.”
The same claim was found here, here, here, here, here and here.
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