Former President Goodluck Jonathan is reportedly under intense pressure to drop his speculated 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, Mataz Arising has gathered.

According to reliable sources, the pressure is being spearheaded by influential Niger Delta figures, including ex-militant leader Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Some of Jonathan’s kinsmen in the Niger Delta are said to have urged him to shelve any plans to return to power and instead back Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Tompolo, sources said, recently visited Jonathan at his country home in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, to personally appeal to him on the matter. The visit reportedly took place on October 16, with Tompolo accompanied by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), Chief Kestin Pondi, and the APC Deputy Governorship candidate in the 2023 Bayelsa election, Mr. Joshua Maciver, among others.
According to insider accounts, the meeting was primarily political and centred on persuading Jonathan to forgo the 2027 race. Tompolo was said to have told the former president that the prevailing sentiment among Niger Deltans was not favourable to his rumored ambition.
Tompolo, who also leads the PBAT Door-2-Door Movement, a grassroots campaign group advocating Tinubu’s re-election, reportedly informed Jonathan that the Niger Delta largely supports Tinubu’s continuation in office. He warned that Jonathan might not receive the expected “home support” if he decided to run.
A source familiar with the discussion said: “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. 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.
He advised him not to be swayed by suggestions that he could unseat President Tinubu, noting that public sentiment across the Niger Delta and much of Nigeria currently favours Tinubu’s re-election.”
Another insider revealed that Jonathan acknowledged the wisdom in Tompolo’s counsel and promised to reflect on it before making his position public.
Speaking briefly to journalists after the closed-door meeting, Jonathan said Tompolo’s visit was to “review the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta,” without confirming or denying discussions about his 2027 political plans.

1SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER NOW
Support MATAZ ARISING’ journalism of integrity and credibility.
Good journalism ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
We ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
TEXT AD: To advertise here – Email ad@matazarising.com
LATEST POSTS
-
Afrophobia: Should Nigeria ask South African companies to leave?

MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Monday Lines 2 Afrophobia: Should Nigeria ask South African companies to leave? By Lasisi Olagunju (Published in the Nigerian Tribune on Monday, 6 July, 2026). Jacob Zuma was President of South Africa when he declared on October 21, 2013 that South Africa should not “think like Africans in Africa, generally.” The remark,…
-
Why I did not take Brazil’s penalty against Norway – Vinicius
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Brazil’s hopes of ending their long wait for World Cup glory came to a painful end after a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to eliminate the five-time champions. The aftermath of the defeat was dominated by questions over why Vinicius Júnior did not…
-
Blatter questions ‘political power’ after Trump’s FIFA phone call
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Monday he questioned the football governing body’s decision to suspend US striker Folarin Balogun’s red card ban. Sources told AFP US President Donald Trump had called FIFA’s current chief Gianni Infantino to ask FIFA to review Balogun’s automatic one-game suspension. The 25-year-old is now…







