[size=18pt]Atiku in secret meeting with Soludo in London[/size]

News Dec 4, 2010 By Chioma Gabriel
The Consensus Candidate of the Northern Political Leaders Forum and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has taken his presidential campaign to United Kingdom where he also had a secret meeting with the former Central Bank Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo before jetting off to Swtizerland in his bid to consolidate his campaign structures and ensure he emerges the presidential candidate of PDP in the January primaries of the party.

Saturday Vanguard was reliably informed that Atiku met the former Central Bank Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo in the UK and stayed with him for two days . Both men were said to have traveled out over the weekend for a secret meeting with other stakeholders in diaspora.

Our source said they also used the opportunity of their meeting to strategise on the coming PDP primaries and how to enhance Atiku’s stronghold in the South East to heighten his chances of defeating president Jonathan in PDP primaries. Saturday Vanguard learnt that the meeting might have afforded the two the chance to discuss Soludo’s likelihood of emerging the presidential running mate to Atiku in the unfolding scenario of the search for a running mate for Atiku from the South East. .

The consensus Northern candidate is also said to have used the opportunity to meet other Nigerians in diaspora and discuss the modalities of the 2011 elections and how to ensure the ruling PDP remains the party to beat during the coming elections.

Atiku is said to have left UK for Switzerland Thursday to continue negotiations and consultations with other Nigerians in diaspora. He is expected to return to Nigeria this weekend to continue consolidating in the geo political zones.

Atiku Abubakar is, for now, the most formidable opponent of President Goodluck Jonathan in the primaries, after emerging as the North’s consensus candidate.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that while the decision on the running mate is likely to be a joint one with General Ibrahim Babangida, General Aliyu Gusau and Dr. Bukola Saraki all of who fought the consensus mandate with him, he has started compiling names of “sellable” politicians from the South-East in which former CBN Governor , Chukwuma Soludo seems to be a favourite. Others penciled down for consideration are former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, ex-Minister of Information, Chief Emeka Chikelu and a former member of the House of Representatives, Nze Chidi Duru.

The South East , according to information available to Saturday Vanguard is currently sharply divided over who to support in the primaries between President Jonathan and Atiku with the major Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, throwing its weight behind the President .

The choice of an Igbo running mate for Atiku would believably neutralise Jonathan’s support base in the South East but some Igbo leaders don’t see any cause for that as Jonathan is not perceived as a threat to Atiku in the South East, because, according a Saturday Vanguard source, “ not all Igbos share the Ohanaeze position in supporting Jonathan. We are of Igbo Political Leaders Forum and we have the likes of Ekwueme amongst us with whom the Northern Political Leaders Forum signed a pact that come 2015, Presidency must go to the South East. Forget what Ohanaeze is saying because for now, the organisation has no leadership. Uwechue’s tenure has expired recently and everybody is speaking differently.

“The Deputy President of Ohanaeze, Elechi Onyia is not in support of Jonathan but the Northern consensus candidate and one of the conditions for this support is an Igbo President in 2015 and Vice President in 2011. One thing that is very clear is that both Jonathan and Atiku are struggling for the soul of the South East and whoever among these four that Atiku chooses as a running mate would make or mar his chances in the January PDP primaries,” the source said


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/atiku-in-secret-meeting-with-soludo-in-london/

Let us take our destiny in our hands.

Jonathan Goodluck will be a waste of time for another 4years.

It is time to break free from our history of unwilling leaders.

Atiku is not an unwilling leader and God knows Prof. CC Soludo is a natural leader.

It is time a leadership with the capacity to inspire Nigerians around a common agenda. No need for behind the scene Presidents or those who hide behind Facebook.
We live in digital age when real leaders lead from the front.

May be just may be this is the best combination to get this country out of the woods

krendo:

May be just may be this is the best combination to get this country out of the woods

I can agree with this combination being the best PDP can offer for now, but I will wait to see other candidates from other parties before I make my mind up.

In PDP
Atiku + Soludo = nothing + nothing = zero

McKren:

Let us take our destiny in our hands.
Jonathan Goodluck will be a waste of time for another 4years.
It is time to break free from our history of unwilling leaders.

[s]Atiku is not an unwilling leader and God knows Prof. CC Soludo is a natural leader.
It is time a leadership with the capacity to inspire Nigerians around a common agenda. No need for behind the scene Presidents or those who hide behind Facebook.
We live in digital age when real leaders lead from the front.[/s]

We need LEADERS that will deliver. LEADERS that are capable to bring honour and glory to Nigeria. ACN is the answer.

Soludo is a man I look up to in life.

If he is on any ticket then I will carefully consider that ticket

Nice and tempting proposition. SE=VP @ 2011 + SE=P @ 2015. Igbos go for it. This is your best bet.

Atiku + Soludo = worst economy: while Atiku will be embezzling, Soludo will be , U knw now how soludo conspired with former bank M.Ds and see what is happenning to our stock market and the banking sector.

Nsiman:

Atiku + Soludo = worst economy: while Atiku will be embezzling, Soludo will be , U knw now how soludo conspired with former bank M.Ds and see what is happenning to our stock market and the banking sector.

that is a very lazy claim my friend. you can do better than that.

And quite frankly we have had enough of that ridiculous debate already. I ask you to compare and contrast Nigerian banking system when Soludo came to office in 2003 and when he left in 2008 and disprove the fact that what he left behind is significantly better than what he met.

None of you are ever able to take up this challenge, all you can do is make up wild claims, pour slurs on those you consider more brilliant than yourself.

Nsiman:

Atiku + Soludo = worst economy: while Atiku will be embezzling, Soludo will be , U knw now how soludo conspired with former bank M.Ds and see what is happenning to our stock market and the banking sector.

Soludo was empowering the private sector, while this present administration is empowering the governement, and you believe that is the way forward?. .RUBBISH statement sir!

Atiku and Soludo. . .
I de laugh o!

Atiku is going dan!

[flash=480,385]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxsNl3xRhf4?fs=1&hl=en_GB[/flash]

People just need to stop distorting Soludo's records for the sake of Politics.

This country will never move forward with a behaviour like that.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llfW3Jt2q2M&feature=related

my dream combination will be atiku/nnamani or iweala okonjo.
soludo belongs to third term/obasanjo corrupt world.
atiku is used to using specialists in their areas so soludo can be anyother thing apart from VP.
atiku, pls give me nnamani or peter obi and you are the president.

Soludo is not as good as a lot of us think he is, behind the scene he is not a gentleman also.

Very soon some will come and tell us Soludo is of no political value because he previously lost elections. Who says that is how the world works. Soludo conceaded defeat even in the face of clear case of irregularities by INEC. Nothing can be more gentlemanly than that.

This attitude of winner takes it all or win at all cost is what is wrong with out politics. Some great men in history previously lost elections. Abraham Lincoln lost elections for Legislature before becoming President, Obama once lost a run for Legislature and yet he kept on going because he had a conviction.

The talk that Soludo should have no say in politics or about the future of politics in Nigeria because he lost an election in Anambra smacks of ignorance and a people who clearly are clueless and do not know what they want.

Beaf:

Atiku and Soludo. . .
I de laugh o!

Atiku is going dan!

@Beaf: Once its not your uncle "GEJ", you will not agree. We have had a lot of cases where GEJ committed blunder - you did not even believe it was - so nobody is taking you serious (next thing is for you to come up with insults).

@Post:
Atiku/(Ken Nnamani, Soludo or iweala okonjo) will be the best option for Ndigbo and Nigeria at large. Am glad all those Igbo criminals are not in the picture - Go Atiku!

The torchlight of SouthEast Politics is being passed from Ekwueme to Soludo.

Soludo is an A Class Professor and not some joke. He understands the History of Nigeria and will work vigorously with Atiku if selected to change the course of Nigeria's history. We need leaders who understand what leadership is all about.

We need to industrialise Nigeria and that will not be achieved by  a President who at best is reactionary.

With Soludo on the ticket, a good policy towards social engineering will be designed and Atiku will deploy his political skills and clout to get these legislation passed. While Soludo is at it he will be a loyal understudy to Atiku in terms of Politics.

And then the future of all Nigerians no matter the language you speak, or the God you pray to will be secured.

Ok. Keep it coming guys. Thread is going on fine. So far no MEATY distraction.

@mikeansy:
The GEJ team are jittery. They did not anticipate such well coordinated results - Playing the IBB card on Atiku is not working at all.

It really shows how shallow they are. Don't they remember that he is not a new-comer and that he was intrumental on OBJ coordinations, economic exploits especially as it concerns assembling the individuals that made impact during that period.

OBJ in all his might and brutality got humiliated - the Season 2 is coming soon - Hey someone should tell OBJ boys "its too early to start panicking". Acceleration is coming.

Atiku is a political bulldozer.

He will certainly outsmart Jonathan.

He is certainly a better candidate, Jonathan is just not a sharp guy at all.

He has already thrown away the Presidency with his docile atitude.

Nigerians don't want to see a dumb man as President for the next 4years.

We need to shape our destiny and Jonathan Goodluck does not look like a man smart enough to shape our destiny.

egift:

@Beaf: Once its not your uncle "GEJ", you will not agree. We have had a lot of cases where GEJ committed blunder - you did not even believe it was - so nobody is taking you serious (next thing is for you to come up with insults).

@Post:
Atiku/(Ken Nnamani, Soludo or iweala okonjo) will be the best option for Ndigbo and Nigeria at large. Am glad all those Igbo criminals are not in the picture - Go Atiku!

Bros, why should I insult you when you haven't strated the ball rolling? In the past, its always been you either making unfortunate comments (most I just ignore) or opening personal threads on me, of course I ignore such rubbish.

Anyway, let the jokes continue about probable running mates for an internationally wanted man. The whole thing is so damn funny! Only in 9ja!
If Lawrence Anini could wake from the dead, maybe he too would be looking for a running mate. Damn!

The momentum is clearly with Atiku.

Beaf:

Bros, why should I insult you when you haven't strated the ball rolling? In the past, its always been you either making unfortunate comments (most I just ignore) or opening personal threads on me, of course I ignore such rubbish.

Anyway, let the jokes continue about probable running mates for an internationally wanted man. The whole thing is so damn funny! Only in 9ja!
If Lawrence Anini could wake from the dead, maybe he too would be looking for a running mate. Damn!

While you are also laughing also remember to laugh about the current Aso Rock occupant who was caught pants down trying to offer a Pastor bribe for his political support.

Let's see how it goes,

marcdunu:

While you are also laughing also remember to laugh about the current Aso Rock occupant who was caught pants down trying to offer a Pastor bribe for his political support.

Mere allegations.

In the meantime, poor lil Atiku! He has to watch what plane to travel in, look furtively over his shoulder on foreign streets and sleep with one eye open. . . Cos he's wanted by the United States Government for the very serious crime of laundering a stolen 40 billa! Chei! Odi very serious!

Did you see his rejoinder, were he wondered why the US govt thinks all his money is stolen?
Damn hilarious!

Beaf:

Mere allegations.
In the meantime, poor lil Atiku! He has to watch what plane to travel in, look furtively over his shoulder on foreign streets and sleep with one eye open. . . Cos he's wanted by the United States Government for the very serious crime of laundering a stolen 40 billa! Chei! Odi very serious!

Did you see his rejoinder, were he wondered why the US govt thinks all his money is stolen?
Damn hilarious!

Mere allegations?

Have you convicted Atiku in a court yet?

If those of Jonathan are allegations; so too are those of Atiku.

Stop having one rule for some and another for others.

Beaf:

Bros, why should I insult you when you haven't strated the ball rolling? In the past, its always been you either making unfortunate comments (most I just ignore) or opening personal threads on me, of course I ignore such rubbish.

Anyway, let the jokes continue about probable running mates for an internationally wanted man. The whole thing is so damn funny! Only in 9ja!
If Lawrence Anini could wake from the dead, maybe he too would be looking for a running mate. Damn!

Beaf, one problem I have with you is that - you keep repeating one lie and hope it sticks as truth (like "Atiku is a wanted man in USA" rubbish).

For your information:
- Atiku was in London Yesterday.
- Were he spoke in the University (unfolding his agenda for Nigeria)
- There have not been any warrant of any nature issued by anyone against Atiku
- Your Uncle GEJ is busy bribing everyone (thank God for SNG)
- You even think the bribe is "customary"

Beaf you should be very ASHAMED. Sometime I ask if you GEJ supporters are out to distroy him or is that what you guys think in your cycle.

Beaf,

please kindly post the International Warrant of arrest against Atiku for all to see.

Please remember that mere newspaper allegations is not a warrant of arrest.

Post the warrant or any news talking about the warrant of arrest (NOT news about the allegation).

Post that immediately or remain silent on this issue forever.

Oh no!! the kpomo and MEATY distraction has started.

So are you saying atiku want to pick Soludo. If Soludo lost in anambra state , it means Atiku would loss again.

Even I think Iweala would be more politically useful to Atiku than soludo. since she is a woman.
why is atiku looking for an igbo vice president. the bulk of the vote is in yorubaland. And it means he has lost the election before it even start. Why do you think Buhari is only focus on the yorubas, because he knows igbos would not vote for northerners.

It is not that easy for northerners to get the igbo vote.

Becomrich}:

So are you saying atiku want to pick Soludo. If Soludo lost in anambra state , it means Atiku would loss again.

Even I think Iweala would be more politically useful to Atiku than soludo. since she is a woman.
why is atiku look for an igbo president. the bulk of the vote is in yorubaland. And it means he has lost the election before it even start. Why do you think Buhari is only focus on the yorubas, because he knows igbos would not vote for northerners.

It is not that easy for northerners to get the igbo vote.

you are a worried man.