Fresh pressure is mounting on former President Goodluck Jonathan to shelve his rumoured plan to contest the presidency in the 2027 general elections, as prominent figures in the Niger Delta intensify efforts to persuade him to instead support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
Findings by The PUNCH revealed that ex-militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is leading the regional movement urging Jonathan to drop his alleged presidential ambition and rally behind President Tinubu’s second-term bid.
It was gathered that Tompolo, accompanied by top associates including the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Kestin Pondi, and the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 Bayelsa State election, Joshua Maciver, paid a private visit to Jonathan at his Otuoke residence in Bayelsa State on October 16.
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The meeting, which reportedly lasted several hours, was Tompolo’s first public appearance in nearly a decade—signifying the importance of his mission.
Contrary to earlier reports suggesting that discussions centred on peace and security in the Niger Delta, multiple sources disclosed that the visit was primarily political.
According to reliable sources, Tompolo’s visit aimed to discourage Jonathan from running for president and to convince him to support Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
A close associate of the former president confirmed that the meeting indeed took place, stating, “Niger Delta stakeholders believe President Tinubu has done a lot for the region—the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the university approved for Ogoniland, and other projects. The consensus is that the region should back his second term.”
The source added that Jonathan had been considering the idea of contesting before the meeting.
Members of Tompolo’s camp described the visit as “historic,” noting that it underscored the seriousness of the message delivered to the former president.
Tompolo, who has remained a strong supporter of President Tinubu, currently oversees the multibillion-naira pipeline surveillance contract and leads a grassroots mobilisation group known as the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, aimed at promoting Tinubu’s re-election across the Niger Delta.
Further reports suggest that Tompolo told Jonathan that the sentiment among Niger Deltans does not favour his return to power. He reportedly urged the former president to take a cue from his wife, Patience Jonathan, and Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, who are said to have aligned with Tinubu’s re-election efforts.
“Tompolo told him point-blank that most Niger Deltans prefer Tinubu to continue till 2031,” a source said.
Jonathan, according to insiders, listened attentively and thanked Tompolo for his frankness, promising to reflect on the advice before making any political decisions.
While Jonathan later told journalists that their discussion focused on peace and stability in the Niger Delta, sources insist that the political angle dominated the talks as regional elites increasingly tilt towards Tinubu’s re-election.
