Jonathan Faces Growing Pressure To Abandon 2027 Presidential Ambition

Fresh political currents are sweeping through the Niger Delta, as influential regional leaders mount pressure on former President Goodluck Jonathan to abandon any plans of returning to Aso Rock in 2027 and instead throw his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

According to findings by The PUNCH, ex-militant leader and Niger Delta strongman, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo—better known as Tompolo—is spearheading the quiet campaign aimed at convincing Jonathan to shelve his alleged presidential ambition.

Sources disclosed that Tompolo, accompanied by close allies including Tantita Security Services Managing Director, High Chief Kestin Pondi, and former Bayelsa APC deputy governorship candidate, Joshua Maciver, paid a discreet visit to Jonathan’s residence in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, on October 16.

The closed-door meeting, which lasted several hours, reportedly marked Tompolo’s first public political engagement in nearly a decade a testament to the gravity of his mission.

While early reports suggested that discussions focused on regional peace and security, multiple sources familiar with the meeting confirmed that the talks were deeply political.

“Tompolo came to tell Jonathan that it’s time to support President Tinubu’s second-term bid,” a close Jonathan associate revealed. “Many stakeholders in the Niger Delta feel the region has benefited significantly from Tinubu’s administration projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the new university in Ogoniland were highlighted.”

The source further disclosed that Jonathan, who was said to have been considering a 2027 comeback, listened attentively to Tompolo’s counsel and promised to reflect on it.

“Tompolo was very frank with him,” another insider confirmed. “He told Jonathan that most Niger Deltans are not inclined toward his return to power and that the region’s political energy now leans toward Tinubu.”

The former militant commander, who currently oversees a multi-billion-naira pipeline surveillance contract renewed under Tinubu’s government, reportedly emphasised that the Niger Delta seeks stability and continuity.

Tompolo also leads the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, a grassroots political network mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election across southern Nigeria.

He reportedly urged Jonathan not to be influenced by political figures encouraging him to challenge the president, stressing that Tinubu remains a formidable force in any fair contest.

“Tompolo told him outright that no candidate can defeat President Tinubu at this point, given his performance so far,” said one source. “He also advised Jonathan to remain a statesman and use his influence to consolidate regional support for Tinubu.”

Although Jonathan later told journalists that the meeting was focused on “peace and stability in the Niger Delta,” insiders maintain that the conversation was dominated by electoral calculations.

Since leaving office in 2015, Jonathan has remained an influential figure in the region, but the tide of elite opinion appears to be shifting toward continuity under Tinubu.

Meanwhile, former Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa, Udengs Eradiri, dismissed speculations about Jonathan’s supposed ambition.

“I’m not aware that Jonathan is running,” Eradiri said. “Until he declares, it’s all speculation. It’s only natural for Tompolo to visit him, Jonathan remains a respected leader in the Niger Delta.”

As 2027 draws closer, the meeting at Otuoke underscores a new phase of political realignment in the South-South where loyalty, legacy, and pragmatism are colliding in the quest for power.