Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disowned a viral Instagram post suggesting he may run for president in 2027, declaring that he does not own an account on the platform.

The controversial post, which appeared on an Instagram handle bearing Jonathan’s name, claimed that Nigeria’s current leaders are “pretending to sleep” and urged citizens to vote wisely in the next general elections. It read:
“Since our current leaders are pretending to sleep, we pray that we will get our good leadership back in 2027; your choice will determine the betterment of our future.”

Accompanied by background music and an apparent AI-generated image of Jonathan shaking hands with former U.S. President Donald Trump, the post has gained over 16,000 views, 1,247 comments, and 248 shares.

The timing of the post has further fueled speculation about Jonathan’s possible return to presidential politics. However, speaking on Friday, Jonathan’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, dismissed the post and reaffirmed that the former president has no official presence on Instagram.

“Former President Jonathan does not own an Instagram account,” Eze stated.

Since leaving office in 2015 after conceding to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Jonathan has often been at the center of speculation about a possible political comeback. Despite this, he has consistently upheld a non-partisan, statesmanlike stance, dedicating his post-presidency years to democracy advocacy and peace-building across West Africa.