Yesterday night, everything changed.
The ruling People's Democratic Party candidate Umar Yar'Adua was flown to a hospital in Germany by air ambulance for medical treatment.
A statement from the party last night said Yar'Adua was "taking time off" from the campaign.
Yar'Adua has suffered from a kidney condition for several years. He told journalists he had recovered recently.
It is not presently known what kind of treatment the 56-year-old governor of Katsina state is receiving, or exactly when he will be back in the country.
Party national secretary Ojo Maduekwe said he would be back "early", and there was no need for Nigerians to be alarmed.
Speculation began three days ago when the PDP publicly denied Yar'Adua was going to be replaced. The candidate did not appear at a party rally in Lagos on Tuesday. The party said there was nothing unusual -he had missed a rally in Minna last month. All they would say about the whereabouts of the candidate was he was "in Nigeria". Later they confirmed he had been taken to a hospital in Abuja for a "routine check up". Then about 9pm Tuesday night the party confirmed he had been flown abroad.
Yar'Adua was selected in December after all the other serious contenders pulled out of the race. President Obasanjo ordered party delegates at the primary elections to vote for the former chemistry lecturer. It is believed on the morning of the primary Obasanjo told all of the governors in the race to step down or face the wrath of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.