Fresh pressure is reportedly building on former President Goodluck Jonathan to abandon his speculated plan to contest the 2027 presidential election, as key figures in the Niger Delta rally behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
According to The PUNCH, former militant leader High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is spearheading a regional campaign aimed at convincing Jonathan to drop any presidential ambition and instead lend his support to Tinubu’s second-term project.
Sources disclosed that Tompolo, alongside top associates, including High Chief Kestin Pondi, Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, and Joshua Maciver, the APC’s 2023 deputy governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, paid a private visit to Jonathan at his Otuoke residence in Ogbia Local Government Area on October 16.
The meeting, which lasted several hours, marked Tompolo’s first public appearance in nearly a decade, a sign many interpreted as proof of the mission’s significance.
Although initial reports suggested the discussions revolved around peace and security in the region, multiple credible insiders confirmed that the visit was largely political in nature.
According to those familiar with the development, Tompolo’s main objective was to dissuade Jonathan from returning to the presidential race and persuade him to throw his weight behind Tinubu.
A close associate of the former president, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, verified the encounter.
“It is true, the meeting held,” the source said. “Niger Delta stakeholders feel Tinubu has done a lot for the region—look at the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the university he approved for Ogoni land, and several other projects. So everyone feels we should back President Tinubu’s second-term bid. That was what Tompolo came to discuss with the former President. He urged him not to run but to support President Tinubu.”
When asked if Jonathan was genuinely considering a return to politics, the associate replied:
“Yes, he was considering it.”
A source within Tompolo’s circle also described the meeting as “historic”, stressing that it was the first time in ten years that Tompolo had personally paid such a visit.
“It was the first time in a decade that Tompolo would visit anyone. That alone shows the importance of the meeting,” the source noted.
Tompolo, who has been an open supporter of President Tinubu, currently oversees the renewed multibillion-naira oil pipeline surveillance contract first granted under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also leads a grassroots mobilisation platform known as the ‘PBAT Door-to-Door Movement’, which has been canvassing support for Tinubu across the Niger Delta.
Further insights from sources present at the meeting revealed that Tompolo told Jonathan bluntly that the Niger Delta’s political mood no longer favoured his comeback.
“Tompolo was very frank with him,” one source said. “He told the former President that his people were no longer disposed to supporting him for another presidential contest and that most Niger Deltans prefer Tinubu to continue till 2031.”
Another insider added that Tompolo advised Jonathan to “borrow a leaf” from his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, both of whom are said to have aligned with the pro-Tinubu movement.
“Tompolo pointed out that Mrs Jonathan had already publicly endorsed President Tinubu for re-election and that Governor Diri’s resignation from the PDP and his planned defection to the APC were indicators that the region was moving in that direction,” the source said.
One participant at the meeting revealed that Tompolo cautioned Jonathan against being influenced by politicians urging him to challenge Tinubu, warning that he would lack the necessary grassroots support.
“He told him point-blank that no one can defeat President Tinubu in a free and fair contest considering his performance so far,” the source said. “Tompolo stressed that most Nigerians, especially in the South, want continuity to allow Tinubu to complete his programmes.”
The former militant leader reportedly assured Jonathan that he need not defect to the APC to support Tinubu, but could act as a respected statesman using his influence to deliver the region in 2027.
“President Jonathan appreciated Tompolo for his visit and acknowledged the wisdom in his submissions,” another source revealed. “He promised to review the counsel and make his decision known in due course.”
After the closed-door meeting, Tompolo avoided the media, while Jonathan downplayed the political angle, insisting the discussions focused on regional stability.
“Since I left office, we have not seen each other,” Jonathan said. “Tompolo is one young man who has played key roles in the unity of our people. We discussed issues people have been complaining about to ensure the Niger Delta remains peaceful. He has contributed significantly to peace and the protection of oil installations.”
Despite Jonathan’s diplomatic response, multiple insiders maintained that politics dominated the conversation, particularly as more Niger Delta elites appear to be gravitating toward Tinubu’s re-election cause.
Meanwhile, Udengs Eradiri, former Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa, dismissed the notion that Jonathan was planning a political comeback, calling such speculation premature.
“I am not aware that Jonathan is running,” Eradiri said. “Until he himself comes out to declare, it’s just rumour. And as for Tompolo’s visit, it’s normal that he would pay respect to Jonathan as a leader in the Niger Delta.”
He added that Jonathan remains a revered figure in the region, especially for his instrumental role in implementing the Amnesty Programme during his tenure as vice president under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
“Any day, any time, Goodluck Jonathan is a leader respected by people like Tompolo,” Eradiri said. “So, it is natural that when Tompolo visits Bayelsa, he would first go to see Jonathan. Whether there was political persuasion or not, I cannot say. But I don’t think Jonathan has declared any ambition to be pressured in the first place.”
