The office of former Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has publicly distanced itself from an Instagram account under the handle @goodluck_ebelejonathan, describing it as fake and warning Nigerians not to mistake it for the former leader’s official platform.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Friday by Jonathan’s media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, amid growing concerns over online impersonation and the spread of misleading content on social media.
According to Eze, the former president does not operate, own, or maintain any personal Instagram account.
The statement stressed that the page in question has repeatedly misrepresented itself, at times claiming to be a fan page and at other times presenting itself as belonging to Jonathan.
“May the public take note that the account represents itself as a fan page at times and impersonates the former president most of the time,” Eze stated.
The former president’s media office also raised concerns about what it described as suspicious activity surrounding the account’s identity.
According to Eze, the Instagram handle has undergone numerous changes over time, making it difficult for users to determine its true ownership and purpose.
“The username has been changed 13 times and counting and we hope that Meta does the needful in due time,” he added.
The revelation has renewed discussions about the growing problem of impersonation on social media, particularly involving public figures, politicians, celebrities, and influential personalities.
With millions of users relying on social platforms for news and updates, fake accounts often sow confusion by publishing content that appears authentic or by falsely claiming endorsement from well-known individuals.
Jonathan’s office warned the public to exercise caution and not to treat any information published on the disputed Instagram page as an official statement from the former president.
The clarification is particularly significant because Jonathan remains one of Nigeria’s most prominent political figures, frequently attracting public attention whenever issues relating to governance, elections, national unity, or democratic development arise.
As a result, accounts falsely claiming to represent him can easily generate engagement and potentially spread misinformation.
Since leaving office in 2015, Jonathan has maintained an active presence in diplomacy, election observation missions, conflict resolution initiatives, and international governance discussions across Africa and beyond.
However, his media team emphasised that Instagram is not among the platforms through which he personally communicates with the public.
The statement also appeared to call on Meta, Instagram’s parent company, to take action against the account and prevent further impersonation.
The issue highlights a challenge increasingly faced by public figures worldwide, as fake profiles continue to exploit recognisable names and identities to attract followers, spread false information, or gain credibility online.
For now, Jonathan’s office has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and verify information through legitimate, authorised channels rather than relying on accounts whose ownership cannot be confirmed.
The message from the former president’s camp was clear: the Instagram account @goodluck_ebelejonathan does not belong to Goodluck Jonathan, and any claims to the contrary should be treated with caution.
