By John Umeh
Former President Goodluck Jonathan is facing renewed pressure from influential figures in the Niger Delta to abandon his alleged plan to contest the 2027 presidential election, amid growing regional support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
According to multiple reliable sources, ex-militant leader High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is spearheading a coordinated effort to persuade Jonathan to step aside politically and throw his weight behind Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Tompolo, who has remained largely out of the political limelight for nearly a decade, reportedly led a high-powered delegation to Jonathan’s hometown of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on October 16, 2025. The delegation included the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Kestin Pondi, and the 2023 APC deputy governorship candidate in Bayelsa, Joshua Maciver, among others.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted several hours, was described by insiders as both historic and politically significant. Despite Jonathan’s public statement that discussions focused on peace and stability in the Niger Delta, credible sources disclosed that the meeting’s central agenda was to convince the former president to withdraw from any presidential consideration and instead endorse Tinubu for continuity in 2027.
Behind the Scenes: A Political Mission in Disguise
Sources close to the discussions revealed that Tompolo’s message was direct and uncompromising. He reportedly told Jonathan that the political mood in the Niger Delta no longer favours his return to power and that the region’s leadership now largely supports Tinubu’s developmental agenda.
“Tompolo was frank with him,” one insider said. “He told the former President that most Niger Deltans believe Tinubu deserves a second term to complete his ongoing projects, especially the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other key initiatives.”
The source further disclosed that Tompolo reminded Jonathan of the recent alignment of Niger Delta leaders — including former First Lady Patience Jonathan and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State — who have openly shown support for Tinubu’s administration.
“Tompolo advised Jonathan to follow the example of his wife and Governor Diri, who are already working in line with the movement for Tinubu’s re-election,” the source added.
A Diplomatic Response from Jonathan
Although Jonathan has not publicly declared any intention to contest in 2027, sources close to him confirmed that he had been quietly consulting political allies across the South-South and parts of the North. The meeting with Tompolo, they said, was a decisive moment in those consultations.
“President Jonathan appreciated the visit and listened carefully to Tompolo’s message,” a top aide revealed. “He acknowledged the wisdom in what was said and promised to reflect on it before making his position known.”
Tompolo, who enjoys renewed federal contracts for pipeline surveillance under Tinubu’s administration, has been at the forefront of regional mobilisation through his ‘PBAT Door-to-Door Movement’, which seeks to consolidate grassroots support for Tinubu’s re-election across the Niger Delta.
A close ally of Tompolo described the visit as a “turning point”, noting that it was the ex-militant’s first personal political outreach to Jonathan in nearly ten years.
Mixed Reactions Trail the Visit
While some political observers view Tompolo’s mission as a pragmatic move to maintain regional influence and unity, others interpret it as an attempt to consolidate Tinubu’s political control in the South-South.
Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa, Udengs Eradiri, dismissed reports of Jonathan’s presidential ambition as speculative, saying: “Until Jonathan himself makes a declaration, all these are rumours. It’s normal for Tompolo to visit him as a respected Niger Delta leader.”
Nevertheless, multiple political sources insist that the region’s current alignment with Tinubu’s government is deliberate and strategic — a shift aimed at ensuring continued federal attention and development in the oil-producing areas.
As 2027 draws closer, the political chessboard in the Niger Delta appears to be rapidly changing. With Tompolo’s open support for Tinubu and the visible endorsement of other regional heavyweights, the pressure on Jonathan to abandon any presidential comeback bid may soon become impossible to ignore.
Whether the former president bows to persuasion or charts his own course remains to be seen — but one thing is clear: the battle for Niger Delta’s political loyalty ahead of 2027 has already begun.
