FRESH pressure is mounting on former President Goodluck Jonathan to abandon his speculated plan to return to the presidency in the 2027 general elections, as prominent figures from the Niger Delta are rallying to persuade him to instead throw his weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Findings by News Point Nigeria reveal that former militant leader and influential Niger Delta figure, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is leading a coordinated regional effort to convince Jonathan to drop his rumoured ambition and back Tinubu’s second-term project.
According to impeccable sources, Tompolo, accompanied by close associates including High Chief Kestin Pondi, Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, and Joshua Maciver, the 2023 APC deputy governorship candidate in Bayelsa State paid a private visit to Jonathan at his Otuoke residence in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on October 16.
The high-level meeting, which reportedly lasted several hours, marked Tompolo’s first major public engagement in nearly a decade, underscoring the gravity of his mission.
While early media reports suggested the visit was focused on peace and security in the Niger Delta, multiple well-placed sources confirmed to News Point Nigeria that the talks were primarily political.
According to one insider, “It is true, the meeting held. Niger Delta stakeholders believe President Tinubu has done a lot for the region from the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to the approval of a federal university in Ogoni land and other key projects.
“So, many leaders feel the South-South should back Tinubu for a second term. That’s the message Tompolo came to deliver.”
Pressed further, the source confirmed that Jonathan had indeed been considering a possible return to the presidency before the intervention.
Another source from Tompolo’s camp described the meeting as historic, adding: “For Tompolo to personally visit anyone after 10 years shows how important the matter is. He told Jonathan bluntly that Niger Deltans were not ready to back his ambition again.”
Tompolo, who currently oversees the multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contract renewed under the Tinubu administration, has been a visible supporter of the President through his ‘PBAT Door-to-Door Movement’, a grassroots mobilisation platform pushing Tinubu’s re-election across the Niger Delta.
At the meeting, sources said Tompolo urged Jonathan to “borrow a leaf” from his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, who have both aligned themselves with Tinubu’s political trajectory.
“Tompolo reminded him that Mrs Jonathan had publicly endorsed Tinubu for re-election,” one source said. “He also mentioned that Governor Diri’s reported plans to join the APC were signs that the region’s political tide now favours Tinubu.”
According to the source, Tompolo told Jonathan that “no one can defeat Tinubu in a free and fair election, given his current performance and growing acceptance,” adding that Niger Deltans were “more interested in political stability and continuity.”
A separate insider disclosed that the former president listened attentively to Tompolo’s submissions and promised to carefully consider the counsel.
“President Jonathan thanked Tompolo for his visit and acknowledged the sincerity of his advice,” the source said. “He said he would review the situation and make his decision known at the right time.”
Addressing journalists briefly after the meeting, Jonathan said discussions focused on peace and development in the Niger Delta, noting that Tompolo had been instrumental in maintaining stability in the region.
“Since I left office, we have not met,” Jonathan said. “Tompolo is one of our young leaders who has played vital roles in promoting unity and protecting our national assets. We discussed how to sustain peace and progress in the Niger Delta.”
Despite Jonathan’s diplomatic tone, multiple insiders insist the political dimension dominated the talks.
Meanwhile, former Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, dismissed the speculation of a Jonathan comeback, calling it mere rumour.
“I’m not aware that Jonathan is planning to contest,” he said. “Until he personally declares, it’s all speculation. It’s only natural that someone like Tompolo would pay him a courtesy visit as a respected regional leader.”
Eradiri added that Jonathan remains “a highly revered figure in the Niger Delta,” credited for his pivotal role in the Amnesty Programme that helped stabilise the oil-rich region.
“Anytime Tompolo visits Bayelsa, it’s normal for him to see the former president first,” he said. “Whether or not politics was discussed, only they can confirm that.”