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By Mideno Bayagbon
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has dramatically swung back into reckoning, and is now in the lead, in the line up of Peoples Democratic Party aspirants vying for the presidential ticket of the party.
The seemingly unbelievable turn around in fortunes for the Waziri Adamawa is being propelled by Northern Generals led by General Aliyu Gusau who have invaded Port Harcourt and are heavily canvassing his candidacy.
This development, TNG (TheNewsGuru.com) gathered is coming on the heels of the successful prevailing of the Northern Generals on General Olusegun Obasanjo to back down from his avowed threat never to support Atiku Abubakar for the presidency.
It is also gathered that Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and TY Danjuma having gotten Obasanjo’s nod, dispatched the Aliyu Gusau led northern Generals and leaders to go and persuade the leaders and delegates of the PDP to vote for Atiku Abubakar.
The quest to have the Waziri Adamawa as the candidate of the main opposition party, came against the back drop of Western countries, who are said to have given a tacit nod to back moves to compel President Buhari to vacate office, should he lose the presidential elections, next February.
The fear in political circles has been that unlike President Goodluck Jonathan, President Buhari might not be magnanimous in defeat to concede and vacate office.
Leaders of the opposition are worried that Buhari, who is popular with the militant Muslim youths, who are his die hard loyalists, could propel them to foment trouble of unimaginable proportions should he lose.
That, TNG discovered, was the major reason most of the leaders backing a Rabiu Kwankwaso candidacy wanted him as a counterpoise to the perceived militancy of the hardcore Buhari supporters. Kwankwaso, it is believed, also has a large following among the militant muslim youths.
General Aliyu Gusau and his group are currently scouring the Rivers State capital meeting Governors and leaders and asking for their backing for Atiku.
They are also meeting with the aspirants and pleading with them to back down and support the initiative to have what they call the best candidate to confront President Buhari at the poll.
It is understood that their meeting with Governor Nyesom Wike was fruitful and his tacit agreement was reached to soft pedal on his backing for Governor Aminu Tambuwal who has also being approached by the northern Generals and leaders to bid his time and wait.
They are said to have also promised to back his candidacy in future.
It is understood that Generals Obasanjo, IBB, Abdulsalami, Danjuma, Gusau and a host of other leaders, who control the system in Nigeria, want President Buhari out at all cost. Atiku Abubakar appears to be their best joker so far.
As it stands, the tables are gradually turning, with Atiku Abubakar in the lead, followed by Rabiu Kwankwaso, Tambuwal and Sule Lamido.
TNG will continue to keep a close eye on the lobbying and horse trading going on in Port Harcourt and bring you latest developments as they occur.
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