[size=18pt]Jittery Over Atiku, Jonathan Threatens To Fight Dirty[/size]
Posted: November 27, 2010 - 04:04
Posted by siteadmin

caption: Goodluck Jonathan
By SaharaReporters, New York
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.

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.

After Obasanjo and other advisers warned Jonathan about Atiku’s political resilience, wide contacts across the country and strong political skills, a visibly nervous president ordered his aides to arrange a meeting with the leaders of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG). The organization had organized nationwide rallies and led the struggle to help Jonathan emerge as President when former President Umaru Yar'adua was holed up in a Saudi hospital, incommunicado for three months.

Since assuming office, Jonathan had distanced himself from the SNG operatives.

Facing the prospect of a strong challenge from the Atiku camp, President Jonathan last Monday night received the SNG leadership in Aso Rock. The SNG members, led by fiery Lagos preacher, Pastor Tunde Bakare, were invited to see Jonathan in a meeting billed as a way of reviewing his performance so far in office.

But a source told Saharareporters that the SNG delegation found a downcast Jonathan who was solely interested in talking about his presidential ambition and how to achieve by all means.

A presidential source told us that Jonathan was visibly shaky when the SNG delegation insisted on discussing the president’s performance in office. They reportedly drew Jonathan’s attention to the lawlessness perpetrated in Ogun and Bauchi, two PDP-controlled states, where two of his campaign coordinators have acted with political recklessness, violating the constitution and the rule of law.


The SNG reminded Jonathan that Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi, his coordinator in the state, had refused to honor a court order re-instating the impeached deputy governor, thereby leaving the state with two deputy governors. They also remarked that Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun was working with a state assembly of minority lawmakers who had purportedly impeached the majority of their counterparts.

Rather than pledging to help restore order in the two states, Jonathan countered that Mr. Kayode Fayemi, the recently inaugurated governor of Ekiti, had arbitrarily dissolved the state’s local government councils. The SNG delegation implored Jonathan to take more interest in the illegalities perpetrated by members of his PDP across the country if he wished to set a tone for addressing the nation’s political logjam.

In an often contentious meeting, the SNG also criticized Jonathan's declaration that there was no longer any need for a Sovereign National Conference to resolve issues pertaining to Nigeria's federal structure as well as other social, economic and political crises. Jonathan admitted that he was not misquoted in his dismissal of the idea of a national conference, but told his visitors that he feared that the statement might be used against him in the future.

A source within the SNG delegation told Saharareporters that they were shocked when Jonathan launched into a lengthy criticism of the four-year. “We were bewildered to hear him say that he would prefer a one-term tenure of seven years instead.” Jonathan told the SNG that he thought it was too expensive to run elections every four years, preferring instead that both the president as well as governors should get a seven-year tenure.

Speaking about his political chances, he told the SNG delegation that he did not see how Atiku could defeat him in the primaries or how any other opponent could unseat him in the general elections. “You can't defeat an incumbent,” he said, to the shock of his guests.

When one of his guests suggested that some state governors might be deceiving him regarding his support base, Mr. Jonathan angrily retorted, “If I don't want them to sleep in their beds, they won't sleep.” Mr. Jonathan stated that, by the time anti-corruption agents checked on a few state commissioners of finance and accountants-general, the state governors would sit up. Jonathan is believed to have worked on ensuring that governorship elections come after that of the presidency, the timing implies that he would move against the governors who undermine his own ambition. 

A source close to the president told us that some presidential advisers cringed to hear Mr. Jonathan open up to the SNG delegation as if he were discussing with an inner caucus of associates. Another source within the SNG said Mr. Jonathan’s off-hand comment about using law enforcement agents to hound uncooperative governors “reminded me of the kind of strategy used by President Obasanjo.”

On the economy, the SNG leadership stated that state governors were making nonsense of the banking reforms by going to borrow from banks recently bailed out with public funds in the name of raising bonds in the capital markets. Jonathan feigned ignorance to the charge.

As they left, the SNG team remarked that they would watch Jonathan’s policies, but indicated their reluctance to be drawn into a role in his presidential ambition.

As the delegates got into their cars to leave the villa, the minister of the Niger Delta, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, produced $50,000, which he described as “a token for the group’s transport costs.”

Our source said that Mr. Bakare fiercely protested against the “gift,” stating that as a man of God and conscience of the nation he would not accept bribes or any form of inducement he could not openly sign for. To avoid creating a public scene, the team drove to their hotel and then sent the $50,000 cash back to Jonathan through Tony Uranta, one of Jonathan's political operatives. Mr. Uranta was present throughout the president’s meeting with the SNG.

A source within Aso Rock said the SNG group placed a call to Jonathan's ADC to let him know they had returned the money.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/jittery-over-atiku-jonathan-threatens-fight-dirty

“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.

Lol!!! There were busy with their cheap blackmail on IBB, whom they saw as their major threat. Another sign of political inexperience from Jonathan's camp. How on earth would they think IBB will emerge as a consensus Nothern candidate? Even their jubilation over the choice of Atiku by the north shows that GEJ camp are full of nothing but inexperience beigns. We all know that Atiku looks more experienced and dangerous politically than IBB, they should have asked OBJ.


Meanwhile, if this article is true then we need to critically trade with GEJ he might be another OBJ in the making.

Though I'm not GEJ supporter, I take Sahara reporters' news wt a pinch of salt. But if there's any credibility to it, then its so so very unfortunate for GEJ and more for Nigeria.

I dont know what to make of this. Surely the GEJ cant be that reckless.

Nobody reads Saharareporters any longer! They are old gist. Even our beloved Fashola doesn't read them.

From the way Sowore acted in the Fasholas interview, we all now think he might have a slight psychological problem.

Read this nonsense! Who writes these articles sef?? Very unintelligent piece!!

Save Nigeria Group remains the most credible pressure group in Nigeria.

If this bribery scandal turns out to be true,then it is quite shameful and embarassing.

Sahara reporters simply cannot be trusted.

if thewillnigeria can be quoted as a legitimate source of information on this site . . .

All this gossipping go sweet pass "Watergate" scandal o. The canaries have started singing.

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).

And what is Jonathan himself?
A candidate of fringe beneficial elements in the South within the Southern Political Leaders Forum(SPLF) with it's headquarters in Ota!
Equation balance.

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.

Okija Oath all over again?

“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.

Allah, please send more confusion to the enemy's camp!


I am loving this I say.

Beaf:

Sahara reporters simply cannot be trusted.

But SR news can be trusted whenever a GEJ's opponent is the subject of ridicule abi? Beaf, go sidon to reflect your stand on GEJ, perhaps you'll come to realize you've been blinded by nepotism.

If the story is indeed true, though I will not be surprised, GEJ is surely leaving upto what I expected of him!

whoever beleives this story needs a pshycic examination.

I dey laugh ooooooo
Laugh, laugher, laughest!!!

I refuse to blink, not to mention sleep till this drama is over.

The collective and overall daftness of Nigerians is ever so glaring in times like these.

IBB and Atiku don play OBJ and GEJ "sickey one" or should I say "double sickey"!

The almajiris have outwitted the bukurus and burukutus combined.

O ye Southerners, were art thou education to help thee?

Hahahahaha. . . It is unfortunate that Jonathan did not realize this until recently that his nice guy demeanor will ve to change if he is serious to win this election. Wetin SNG fit help am do for dis kind political atmosphere wey dem wan start to dey gist economic performance and porpularity poll. . Lol. . .let's face it, Jonathan is politically Naive without the OBJ elements and co. . .he miscalculated with the Atiku re-instatement into the party. He will have to be brazen with his pursuit that's a fact, Atiku long before now should ve been hounded with all manner of increminating charges brought against him to keep him at bay. He had better use his incumbency advantage to ensure himself a victory at the primaries. Those state governors acting up and decieving him of their support, should be hounded and made to sit up. Only a joker will not start fighting dirty, he better align himself with some serious politicians not that talkative clark that does not understand the political implication of the nonsense that he says.

Its funny how some people so much believed the Emeagwali story from the same SP.

^^^^

hahahaha,

my belle ooooooo,

somebody please give me water o.

see why I say NEVER trust a Southerner in power?

extremely fickle and visionless.

Meanwhile, not one single Emeagwali rebuttal or Atiku response made it the the front page of Nairaland.
They said it was "spambot" that caused it o.
One Nigggggeria!

I believe everything said in the story.

There was a report some months back that while IBB, Saraki and co were openly campaigning, Atiku had crisscrossed the country and struck deals with hundreds of key PDP people. It said that Atiku had the widest network of contacts and was the one to beat.

IBB and co had long made deal with Atiku. IBB was busy distracting GEJ while Atiku was getting busy.

Whilst Jonathan is infinitely more popular than Atiku, and Atiku is literally "unelectable", the PDP primaries look more like GEJ's Waterloo.


And BTW, I believe the SaharaReporters story. GEJ is not interested in Ogun, Bauchi or any lawlessness. All thats on the dudes mind is returning to power.

Look at the choices we've got: 2 thieving politicians.

Goodluck can not be careless to the extent of discursing some of those things in that report. Some must have paid heavily somehow.

Like if we put any of you there, you will not do worse than the OBJ or Ariku?
Some of you hiding behind your computers are related to these same thieves.
Thank God for anonymity.

Blazay:

Like if we put any of you there, you will not do worse than the OBJ or Ariku?
Some of you hiding behind your computers are related to these same thieves.
Thank God for anonymity.

Frankly I am more related to GEJ and he is no thief but,

9ijaMan:

But SR news can be trusted whenever a GEJ's opponent is the subject of ridicule abi? Beaf, go sidon to reflect your stand on GEJ, perhaps you'll come to realize you've been blinded by nepotism.

If the story is indeed true, though I will not be surprised, GEJ is surely leaving upto what I expected of him!

You must be joking!
When did you last see me referring to Sahara Reporters? That paper is worse than toilet roll. Here is a shameless, amaturish manufacturing of news they did on GEJ (link and pic):

http://saharareporters.com/photo/photonews-jonathans-declaration-when-jonathan-women-met-goodluck-men

www.nairaland.com/attachments/324341_SaharaReportersFakePicture_jpg69a0b6e4ad1c8831fa731bd73bb022d2

if u want to know how strong atiku is, look at obasanjo whenever he hears the name. atiku was a great force behind the failure of third term agenda. atiku stood his ground when obasanjo and ribadu were doing everything to see him go down. atiku openly accepted the accussations of ribadu that he is a criminal but insisted that they were two in the crime (obj). we all listened to atiku swore that he will never go down alone and that made obasanjo and ribadu stay away from him.
if u ask obasanjo who he fears most in his life, he will look arround and quietly tell u is atiku.
if i have my ways, i will ask jonathan to step aside while i make atiku the president. atiku has a lot of information to give nigerians abt the period between 1999 to 2007.

Goodluck saying that he wuld prefer a one tenure of 7year. Governors won't sleep if her does not want them to. Who was he talking to? I thought its his wife no SNG. I no believe.

Newspaper stories (especially one like SR) should not just be taken with a pinch of salt but probably with a whole bag. Since the kidnapping saga involving some journalists a while ago, it is obvious that these journalists are paid to write news albeit incorrect/false news.

This story may have some facts true but a lot of it is probably exaggerated.

SR obviously doesn't like GEJ. They are becoming more out of tune everyday.

If the report is true Jonathan has just given us a straight form the heart gist.

Why are we so selctive when complaining, what would you have the president do in Ogun and Bauchi, declare a state of emergency and why should he look the other way in Osun and why are there no complaints about it, we must realise that the states are to a level independent and dont report to the president, his role should be advisory.

He has said it clearly YOU CAN UNSEAT AN INCUMBENT no matter what, why should the SNG waste their energy trying to unseat him, it just is not possible. how can they unseat an incumbent?

What Jonathan is asking is that let us for once in Nigeria allow a popular candidate win an election freely and fairly, because any attempt to make him the popular and front line contestant who is also incumbent to lose the elections will be resisted with the maximum force.

All Jonathan wants is to have the presidential elections won by himself without having to resort to ballot snatching and electoral irregularities.


So he gave them $50,000.00 and how much is that? if he invited them and wanted to pay their transport and lodging allownce how is that a bribe, must they collect and do his bidding, No,m but if they have rejected it it is ok. If you come to my house and I offer you a drink and you reject it should i jump into the lagoon.

What does Atiku represent? what does Goodluck represent? that is the question we should be asking.

If Atiku wins the PDP primaries then prepare for massive rigging in the elections because Atiku does not have the popularity to win the elections freely, but if GEJ wins the primaries in a fair contest Gej has the popularity to win without rigging.

Atiku stole PTDF funds his only defence is that his boss stole more, Atiku built a university in Nigeria where only the super rich can send their kids to while he was part of the govt undermining our universities, Atiku privatised NITEL without paying off the staff, Atiku accused the PDP as a den of vipers but today is in their midst, Atiku hosted COJA with N40b in 2003, we could go on and on, Atiku does not stand for anything good in this country.

Goodluck hosted a world cup tournament withN17b and we had change, he celebrated the golden Jubilee withN10b and all monies were duly accounted for, Goodluck is on the fore front in the campaign for credible elections, Atiku was a major part of the rigging machinery in 2003 and was working for the same machinery until he was told the rigging machinery would not be used to deliver him in2007, Goodluck runs an open administration, Goodluck patiently waits his time, Goodluck is privatising PHCN but paying the workers off first, Goodluck has allowed us to take fuell supply for granted cant remeber storing fuel in the house anymore, Goodluck has given hope that we never knew about, come on we need to change but drastic changes are unsustainable, and we could even be changing from bad to worse.

can we now expect that all future mend attacks are the work of atiku  

perhaps atiku is also behind the independence bomb blats

Ibime:

I believe everything said in the story.

There was a report some months back that while IBB, Saraki and co were openly campaigning, Atiku had crisscrossed the country and struck deals with hundreds of key PDP people. It said that Atiku had the widest network of contacts and was the one to beat.

IBB and co had long made deal with Atiku. IBB was busy distracting GEJ while Atiku was getting busy.

Whilst Jonathan is infinitely more popular than Atiku, and Atiku is literally "unelectable", the PDP primaries look more like GEJ's Waterloo.


And BTW, I believe the SaharaReporters story. GEJ is not interested in Ogun, Bauchi or any lawlessness. All thats on the dudes mind is returning to power.

its looking that way to me as well - whatever else this is a masterstroke - all the gej zombies on nl will start looking like the idiots they are when they start playing the ibb game on atiku

Beaf:

You must be joking!
When did you last see me referring to Sahara Reporters? That paper is worse than toilet roll. Here is a shameless, amaturish manufacturing of news they did on GEJ (link and pic):

http://saharareporters.com/photo/photonews-jonathans-declaration-when-jonathan-women-met-goodluck-men

www.nairaland.com/attachments/324341_SaharaReportersFakePicture_jpg69a0b6e4ad1c8831fa731bd73bb022d2

  the Picture wasnt forged, It's only a failed attempt at Panoramic capture, the photographer bundled the nonsense and without editing SR
quikly published as they usually do.

We have seen SR make mistakes by reporting news without verifying carefully, we have also seen them make very helpful exposes that have saved this Nation.

I will not be too quick to either dismiss or believe this news.

For those suggesting that Jonathan can not say this, or can not say that. You clearly have not been following events in Nigeria because we all know that Jonathan is gaffe prone.We have seen Jonathan say worse on TV, we have seen Jonathan make himself the MEND spokesman on National TV; we have seen Jonathan describe the relationship between a President and his vice as one being Superior and the other being Inferior. We have also seen him misinterprete the meaning of his "oath of office" on facebook.

So I personally will not conclude that Jonathan did not say the things he was accused to have said because the man is dumb and gaffe prone.

When SR was exposing Yar'adua they were Heroes, now they are publishing reports against Jonathan just like they did in the Yar'adua era and some want make them villians. Such double standards should have no place in our polity if we are to make progress.

GEJ can never go public with this. He's not one of this mallams that have goat brain as a brain. No Southner wheather Educated or not will do this type of poo. Lemme tell all of you, OBJ is up to date the smartest politicians. He is the master strategist. Am an Igbo Boi, but i respect n dole out my cap for that Smart Yoruba Man. Mark my words, GEJ win will, because OBJ will never allow Atiku or these retardz northerner to be President. Ciroma n co should be thinking of how to educate his brothers, cuz very soon, Biafra will be

Uclloyd28:

GEJ can never go public with this. He's not one of this mallams that have goat brain as a brain. No Southner wheather Educated or not will do this type of poo. Lemme tell all of you, OBJ is up to date the smartest politicians. He is the master strategist. Am an Igbo Boi, but i respect n dole out my cap for that Smart Yoruba Man. Mark my words, GEJ win will, because OBJ will never allow Atiku or these retardz northerner to be President. Ciroma n co should be thinking of how to educate his brothers, cuz very soon, Biafra will be

Did you take your time to read your post prior to clicking the reply button. Your post reeks of so much nepotism that you have simply forgotten the immediate past history of 9ja's politricks. Your OBJ (master strategist) lost out to Atiku on his treacherous 3rd term bid. Your master strategist has lost 3 of the states PDP controlled throughout his last 4 years in government. OBJ cannot even vouch to deliver southwest for GEJ and you are blindly claiming him to be your hero. In case you do not know, OBJ no longer controls the southwest of Nigeria, little Tinubu has more clout in the Southwest than OBJ.

If Northerners are "retardz" as you've suggested, I wonder what you'd refer to the rest of the country as, since these retards have led us for longer periods than any other region. Subjecting yourself to the rulership of "retardz" only signifies that you may be worse of.

For some time now it appears all has not been well. GEJ should work hard on securing the PDP ticket and the way he can do that is by real politicking. He has to give and take in every direction and reach out to the north; His VP should be instrumental to this.

Folks should also remember that this is not one of those news that goes like, sources said this, a Presidential aide from the South did that.

Names were mentioned Godsday Orubebe, Tony Uranta, Pastor Tunde Bakare. We will hear from these actors in the next coming days.

Also this is not the first time fingers are pointing at Orubebe as Jonathan's messenger of dirty job.

Let us wait as the news unfolds.