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Gandalf's statement to Frodo in Shadow of the Past, that Sauron, at that point, held the Nine makes more sense to me than his later assertion at the the Council of Elrond, "the nine the Nazgul keep". Since Sauron no longer had the One Ring that would rule all the others, it seems to make sense that he needs the Nine in his possession to ensure his link to and dominance of the Ringwraiths.
Still, between his 1st and second assertions, Gandalf did encounter some of the Nazgul at Weathertop. Perhaps he learned something in that encounter that caused him to alter his view as to who held the Nine. But if that is the case he doesn't mention it at the Council.
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