A few hours after a committee composed of Northern politicians chose former Vice President Abubakar Atiku as its "consensus candidate," aides to Goodluck Jonathan accused the Nigerian media of misrepresentation in their description of Atiku as the Northern consensus candidate.
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The statement, which was signed by presidential spokesman, Ima Niboro, argued that Atiku was a candidate of fringe elements in the North within the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF).
Shortly afterward, Jonathan's political machinery also reached out to the media claiming that they were excited by the selection of Atiku. They boasted that the president's odd of winning the nomination of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had vastly improved with the Northern group's endorsement of Atiku.
However, Saharareporters has learned that Mr. Jonathan and his handlers are deeply jittery over Mr. Atiku's emergence as their main challenger.
"We made a big strategic miscalculation," a senior adviser to Jonathan told Saharareporters. "Prior to Atiku's selection, we mostly concentrated our attacks on [former military dictator Ibrahim] Babangida, almost forgetting Atiku," he added.
But several sources within and outside the Jonathan camp have disclosed that the president and his handlers now recognize that Atiku is a much harder opponent than Babangida.
After all the braggadocio the day Atiku emerged the candidate of the Northern wing, it dawned on Jonathan that celebrating Atiku's choice might have been a major mistake.
One source told us that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was one of the first to warn Jonathan that Atiku was the most dangerous of all the four Northern politicians who were formerly in the race – Babangida, former security chief Aliyu Gusau and Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara. The source said Obasanjo chastised Jonathan for letting Atiku receive a party membership waiver earlier in the race.
Jittery Over Atiku, Jonathan Threatens To Fight Dirty (http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/jittery-over-atiku-jonathan-threatens-fight-dirty)