2027: Jonathan faces mounting pressure to drop presidential bid
By: Abudu Olalekan
It was a quiet afternoon in Otuoke. Too quiet, maybe. But then, boom. Here comes High Chief Government Ekpemupolo. Tompolo. The ex-militant leader. A guy who hasn’t poked his head out in public for, like, a decade. Yeah. That long. And he’s rolling up to Goodluck Jonathan’s doorstep. October 16. With his crew—Kestin Pondi and Joshua Maciver in tow. They weren’t there for tea and small talk. Oh no. This was serious business.
Everyone thought it was about peace and security. Y’know, the usual Niger Delta stuff. But nope. Sources. Good ones. They spilled the beans. This was 100% political. Tompolo had a mission. A big one. “Drop the 2027 run, Mr. President,” he said. “Back Tinubu instead.” Why? Because, Tompolo argued, the Niger Delta’s all in for Tinubu. The man’s delivered. Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway? Check. A university for Ogoni land? Check. Plus, Tompolo’s got skin in the game. That sweet, sweet pipeline surveillance contract? Renewed under Tinubu. And he’s running the “PBAT Door-to-Door Movement.” Mobilizing the Delta for Tinubu 2027.
Tompolo didn’t mince words. “The people here,” he told Jonathan, “they’re just not feeling you for 2027. They want Tinubu. Till 2031.” Ouch. He even name-dropped. Jonathan’s wife, Patience? She’s Team Tinubu. Bayelsa’s Governor Diri? He’s jumping ship from PDP to APC to back Tinubu. The writing’s on the wall, Tompolo said. Get with the program.
But here’s the twist—Tompolo didn’t demand Jonathan switch parties. Nah. Stay independent. Be a statesman. Use your clout to help Tinubu win the Delta. Smart, right?
Jonathan? He listened. Really listened. Sources say he took it all in. Nodded. Promised to think it over. But when reporters swarmed, he played it cool. “Peace and security,” he said. “That’s what Tompolo and I talked about. He’s key to keeping the Delta stable.”
Still, the pressure’s mounting. Insiders say the region’s power players are lining up behind Tinubu. They see the projects. They want continuity. And they’re not shy about telling Jonathan to step aside.
Not everyone’s buying the hype, though. Udengs Eradiri, a former Bayelsa LP gov candidate, called the rumors “just talk.” “Jonathan hasn’t declared squat,” he said. “And Tompolo visiting? Totally normal. Jonathan’s a legend here. Respected. Big time. Especially for the Amnesty Program he helped build.” That program, y’know, it gave militants a way out. A lifeline. Jonathan’s legacy.
But here’s the thing—Tompolo’s visit was a mic-drop moment. A decade out of the spotlight, and he shows up to make a point. That’s how urgent this is. Jonathan’s at a crossroads. Does he run? Or does he listen to the voices saying, “Hold up. Tinubu’s the guy”?
The 2027 race is still far off. But the drama? It’s here. Now. Will Jonathan bow out? Or will he jump in? Your guess is as good as mine. But one thing’s for sure—Nigerian politics never sleeps. And this story? It’s just warming up.
