Fresh pressure is mounting on former President Goodluck Jonathan to abandon his alleged plan to contest the 2027 presidential election, as prominent figures from the Niger Delta intensify efforts to persuade him to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Findings indicate that ex-militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is leading the campaign within the region urging Jonathan to shelve any presidential ambition and rally behind Tinubu’s second-term project.

Tompolo, accompanied by key associates, including the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Kestin Pondi, and the 2023 APC deputy governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Joshua Maciver, reportedly paid a private visit to Jonathan at his Otuoke residence in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on October 16.

The meeting, which lasted several hours, marked Tompolo’s first major public appearance in nearly a decade, underscoring the gravity of his mission.

Although initial reports suggested the meeting focused on peace and security in the Niger Delta, multiple sources disclosed that political matters dominated the discussion.

According to insiders familiar with the meeting, Tompolo’s primary message was to discourage Jonathan from joining the 2027 presidential race and instead align with President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

A top associate of the former president, who confirmed the meeting but requested anonymity, said:

“Yes, the meeting held. Niger Delta stakeholders believe Tinubu has done a lot for the region, from the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to the university approved for Ogoniland and other key projects. The consensus is that we should back his second-term bid. That was what Tompolo discussed with Jonathan,  urging him not to contest but to support Tinubu.”

Pressed on whether Jonathan was indeed nursing a presidential ambition, the source added,

“Yes, he was considering it.”

A separate source within Tompolo’s camp described the visit as historic, saying:

“It was the first time in 10 years Tompolo would visit anyone. That alone shows how important the meeting was.”

Tompolo, a staunch supporter of President Tinubu, currently oversees the renewed multi-billion-naira pipeline surveillance contract first awarded to him during the Buhari administration. He also spearheads the ‘PBAT Door-to-Door Movement’, a grassroots network mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election across the Niger Delta.

Sources said Tompolo told Jonathan that the political mood in the Niger Delta does not favour his return to power, advising him to take a cue from figures like his wife, Patience Jonathan, and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, both of whom have shown alignment with Tinubu’s re-election movement.

“Tompolo told him plainly that the region’s loyalty now leans towards Tinubu,” one insider said. “He noted that Mrs. Jonathan has already endorsed Tinubu, and that Governor Diri’s planned defection to the APC reflects the region’s current direction.”

Another participant said Tompolo warned Jonathan against listening to political figures urging him to challenge Tinubu, insisting the former president would lack “home support” if he did.

“He told him point-blank that no one can defeat President Tinubu in a free and fair contest, given his performance so far,” the source stated. “He urged Jonathan to remain a statesman and use his influence to deliver the region to Tinubu in 2027.”

According to another insider, Jonathan listened attentively and promised to consider Tompolo’s counsel.

“President Jonathan appreciated the visit and acknowledged the wisdom in Tompolo’s submission,” the source said. “He assured them he would reflect on it and make his position known in due course.”

While Tompolo declined to speak to journalists after the closed-door meeting, Jonathan maintained that their discussions centred on peace and stability in the region.

“Since I left office, we’ve not seen each other,” Jonathan told reporters. “Tompolo is one young man who has played key roles in the unity of our people. We discussed issues to ensure the Niger Delta remains peaceful.”

Despite Jonathan’s diplomatic tone, multiple insiders insist the political undertone of the visit was unmistakable, particularly as Niger Delta elites increasingly shift support toward Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Meanwhile, Udengs Eradiri, former Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, dismissed speculations about Jonathan’s possible return to the presidential race.

“I’m not aware that Jonathan is running,” Eradiri said. “Until he declares, it remains a rumour. As for Tompolo’s visit, it’s only natural that he would pay respect to Jonathan as a leader in the Niger Delta.”

He added that Jonathan remains a revered figure in the region for his pivotal role in the Amnesty Programme, which he helped implement as vice president under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

“Any day, any time, Goodluck Jonathan is a respected leader. Whether political persuasion was involved or not, I can’t say. But as far as I know, he hasn’t declared any ambition to be pressured about.”