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April 19, 2006
Nigeria VP rubbishes suspension
Nigeria's vice-president has dismissed reports that the ruling party in his home state has suspended him.
"He laughed it off because it is ridiculous," Atiku Abubakar's spokesman told the BBC Network Africa programme.
This is the latest in a deepening row within the People's Democratic Party over proposals for a constitutional amendment to allow third terms.
Mr Abubakar opposes moves to allow President Olusegun Obasanjo to seek another term in office.
The issue has divided the ruling PDP and Nigerian public opinion.
Mr Obasanjo has not publicly said whether he wants to remain in office but both men are believed to want to contest elections due next year.
Mr Abubakar's spokesman said the decision to suspend the vice-president in Adamawa State was taken by a group in the party calling themselves stakeholders who had no impact politically.
"Anybody can call themselves stakeholders and start sacking people left, right and centre. So it is absolutely of no legal or political consequence," Garba Shehu told the BBC.
Mr Obasanjo and Mr Abubakar have been president and vice-president since the end of military rule in 1999.
The National Assembly is due to consider more than 100 proposed constitutional amendments, including whether to extend the limit on a president's term in office from two to three terms.
Opponents of the constitutional change argue that the presidency needs to rotate among people from different regions and ethnic groups.
Mr Obasanjo is a Christian from the south-west while Mr Abubakar is a Muslim from the north.
Posted by Publisher at April 19, 2006 04:29 PM
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