Prominent Niger Delta leader and ex-militant commander, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has reportedly appealed to former President Goodluck Jonathan to drop any plans of contesting the 2027 presidential election and instead support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Tompolo, who recently paid a private visit to Dr. Jonathan at his Otuoke residence in Bayelsa State, was said to have advised the former leader that the political mood in the Niger Delta and across the country does not favour his return to power.
According to reliable sources familiar with the meeting, the visit marked Tompolo’s second public appearance in over a decade and was accompanied by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Chief Kestin Pondi, and Bayelsa APC deputy governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, Joshua Maciver.
During the closed-door meeting, Tompolo reportedly told the former president that the majority of Niger Delta stakeholders were leaning toward continuity under President Tinubu, adding that Jonathan might not enjoy grassroots support at home should he decide to run under any party platform.
He was quoted as urging the former president to emulate his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, both of whom have expressed public support for President Tinubu’s administration. Tompolo, who now leads the “PBAT Door-to-Door” mobilization movement, reportedly told Jonathan that the Niger Delta’s political structure is aligning behind Tinubu’s re-election project.
A source at the meeting said, “Tompolo made it clear that the people of the Niger Delta believe in President Tinubu’s leadership and performance so far. He told Dr. Jonathan that the current sentiment among the region’s political class and youth favours continuity beyond 2027. He further advised him not to give in to pressures to contest, as such a move may not yield the desired support.”
Tompolo was also said to have highlighted the recent resignation of Governor Diri from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his anticipated defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as evidence of shifting political alliances across the South. He reportedly told Jonathan that unity among southern leaders would better serve the region’s long-term political interests.
The ex-militant leader was quoted as saying that no candidate could realistically defeat President Tinubu in a fair election, given his administration’s performance and reform trajectory over the past three years. He encouraged Jonathan to remain a respected statesman who can lend his influence to ensure peace, stability, and continuity in governance without necessarily switching parties.
Another insider revealed that former President Jonathan listened attentively and thanked Tompolo for his visit and counsel. According to the source, Jonathan acknowledged the wisdom in the submissions and promised to reflect deeply on the advice before making any public statement about his political future.
When he later spoke briefly to reporters after the visit, Jonathan described the meeting as a cordial one focused on peace and development in the Niger Delta. “Since I left office, we have not seen each other. Tompolo is one young man who has played a key role in the unity of our people. There are issues people have been complaining about, so I decided to ask him so that we can have conversations to ensure the Niger Delta remains peaceful,” Jonathan said.
He commended Tompolo’s efforts toward sustaining peace in the oil-rich region, noting that his contributions to securing vital oil installations and stabilizing the region have been instrumental to Nigeria’s economic progress.
Although Tompolo did not speak to journalists after the meeting, sources confirmed that his message to the former president was unequivocal — that Jonathan should shelve any consideration of returning to power and join hands with other southern leaders to support President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
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