Some Niger Delta kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan have urged him not to run for president in 2027.

They enjoined the former leader to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu instead.

Prominent Niger Delta ex-militant commander, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) is the arrowhead of the group persuading Dr. Jonathan to jettison his bid.

The ex-militant commander, who has visited the former President in his native Otuoke, Bayelsa State, last week, said the public mood does not support his aspiration.

The visit was Tompolo?s second public appearance in over a decade. He was accompanied by the Managing Director of his oil pipelines surveillance company, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), Chief Kestin Pondi, and the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general election in Bayelsa State, Joshua Maciver.

Sources said Tompolo told Dr. Jonathan that the psyche of his kinsmen in the Niger Delta was unfavourable to his rumoured ambition of returning to power.

Tompolo, who is the convener and founder of the ?PBAT-Door-2-Door, also explained to him that his kinsmen were largely in favour of President Tinubu?s second term bid.

He said Dr. Jonathan may not secure the ?home support? if he insisted on running for president on the platform of any political party.

According to the sources, Tompolo impressed it upon Jonathan to support President Tinubu in the spirit of continuity. Tompolo urged former President Jonathan to borrow a leaf from his wife, Dr. Patience, and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, who had joined the movement for the re-election of the President in 2027.

The sources also said the interests of the South, comprising the Southwest, the Southeast, and the South-South, should be considered.

?Tompolo said the recent resignation of Diri from main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his anticipated defection into APC had made it imperative for Dr. Jonathan to team up with his team to ensure the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027.

A source said: ?Tompolo came to see His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan, in his village, Otuoke, on Friday, October 16 in what was a happy reunion since they have not met in over one decade. Contrary to the reports in the conventional and social media that they discussed issues bordering on peace and security in the Niger Delta, far from that, the meeting was political.

?Tompolo came and unequivocally appealed to him to shelve his rumoured presidential bid in 2027. Although Tompolo acknowledged that the ambition is coming into the public space as mere rumours, but he told Mr. President that he should shelve the idea if it?s true.?

?Tompolo advised our leader not to be persuaded and not to give in to those political calculations that he could unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 elections. He stated categorically that the psyche of the citizens of the Niger Delta and indeed of the majority of Nigerians favoured the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2927.?

?He made President Jonathan to understand that he won?t get the much-needed home support for his aspiration. He specifically pointed out the recent public statement made by his wife, Patience, endorsing President Tinubu for re-election and the recent resignation of Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, from PDP and his planned defection to APC, as having diminished him.?

?Tompolo told his host that nobody can defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a free and fair electoral contest in view of his superlative performance in less than 3 years in office. He said most reasonable and right-thinking Nigerians want President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to continue in office beyond 2027 to enable him to continue in the saddle till 2031.?

?Consequently, he enjoined President Jonathan to join the vanguard for the re-election of Tinubu in 2027, that a contrary action will surely not going to be in his interest and in the overall interest of his people of the Niger Delta.?

?He further counselled that former President Goodluck Jonathan does not have to defect to APC, that he can remain a statesman to work and deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term of office,? added the source, who craved anonymity.

Another source at the meeting said Dr. Jonathan, who listened to his guest with rapt attention, promised to consider his advice.

According to him, Jonathan acknowledged wisdom in his submissions.

He said: ?President Goodluck Jonathan appreciated Tompolo for his visit and acknowledged his wise counsel on the political permutations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

?President Jonathan promised to review his counsel and make public his decisions in the future.?

Tompolo did not address reporters after the visit.

But Dr. Jonathan, who addressed reporters afterwards, said Tompolo visited him to review the prevailing peace in the region.

He said: ?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. He (Tompolo) has contributed significantly to the peace and the protection of oil installations.? (The Nation, excluding headline)

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