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.