Former President Goodluck Jonathan is reportedly facing mounting pressure from key Niger Delta stakeholders to abandon any plans of contesting the 2027 presidential election and instead throw his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
According to sources close to the development, the push is being championed by influential figures in the region, notably ex-militant leader and prominent Niger Delta voice, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Tompolo, who now leads the PBAT Door-2-Door Movement—a grassroots campaign group mobilizing support for Tinubu’s second term—was said to have visited Jonathan at his Otuoke residence in Bayelsa State on October 16. He was accompanied by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Chief Kestin Pondi, and APC’s 2023 Bayelsa deputy governorship candidate, Mr. Joshua Maciver.
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Insiders disclosed that the meeting, though described publicly as a discussion on regional peace, was in fact a political intervention aimed at dissuading Jonathan from joining the 2027 race. Tompolo reportedly told the former president that the political tide in the Niger Delta—and across much of the country—favours Tinubu’s continuity in office.
“Tompolo came to see His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in Otuoke, on Friday, October 16, in what was a happy reunion after over a decade,” a source familiar with the meeting said. “Contrary to reports that the visit was about peace and security in the Niger Delta, it was purely political. Tompolo appealed to the former president to shelve his rumoured presidential bid in 2027.”
The source added that Tompolo warned Jonathan that he may not enjoy the expected “home support” if he decides to run, citing a shift in public sentiment.
Jonathan, according to reports, acknowledged the concerns raised and assured his visitors that he would reflect on the advice before making any public declaration regarding 2027.
Speaking briefly to journalists after the closed-door meeting, the former president maintained a diplomatic tone, stating only that the visit was to “review the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta,” without confirming or denying the political undertones of the engagement.
The development comes amid growing speculation about Jonathan’s political future, with some loyalists reportedly urging him to stage a comeback. However, the latest move by regional powerbrokers may signal a strategic realignment ahead of the next general election.