Former President Goodluck Jonathan is reportedly facing strong pressure to abandon any speculated plans to contest the 2027 presidential election and instead support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. According to credible sources, the campaign to sway Jonathan is being led by prominent Niger Delta figures, notably former militant leader Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo. Some Niger Delta stakeholders and Jonathan’s kinsmen are said to have urged him to drop any intention of returning to power and align with Tinubu’s second-term ambition. Sources disclosed that Tompolo recently visited Jonathan at his Otuoke residence in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on October 16 to personally appeal to him on the issue. He was reportedly accompanied by the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), Chief Kestin Pondi, the APC Deputy Governorship candidate in the 2023 Bayelsa election, Mr. Joshua Maciver, and others. Insider accounts indicate that the meeting was largely political, focused on convincing Jonathan to step away from any 2027 bid. Tompolo was said to have expressed that the general mood in the Niger Delta is not currently supportive of Jonathan’s rumoured ambition. As the leader of the PBAT Door-2-Door Movement, a grassroots campaign group promoting Tinubu’s re-election, Tompolo reportedly told Jonathan that the region overwhelmingly favours Tinubu’s continuity in office. He cautioned that the former president might not enjoy strong “home support” if he decides to run. One source explained: “Tompolo met His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in Otuoke on Friday, October 16, in what appeared to be a joyful reunion after many years. Despite reports suggesting the visit focused on peace and security in the Niger Delta, it was strictly political. Tompolo urged the former president to drop his rumored 2027 presidential ambition, warning him not to be carried away by suggestions that he could displace President Tinubu, especially since public sentiment in the Niger Delta and across Nigeria currently leans towards Tinubu’s re-election.” Another insider revealed that Jonathan appeared to acknowledge the merit of Tompolo’s advice and assured that he would consider it carefully before making any public declaration. Briefing journalists after the closed-door session, Jonathan said the visit centred on “reviewing the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta,” but did not confirm or deny any discussion about his 2027 political intentions. VANGUARD NEWSPAPER