Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Leadership crisis in Nigeria

The political pressures are building in Nigeria. If the president's absence has not yet created a crisis, a variety of forces are pushing in that direction.

Triple legal challenge for Nigeria President Yar'Adua
Three legal challenges have been filed against Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua, who has been in a Saudi hospital for the past six weeks.

The Nigerian Bar Association is demanding that he hand over power to his deputy Goodluck Jonathan.

The other suits say cabinet decisions made in his absence should be annulled and he should be sacked. And a rights group wants him declared "missing".

Many Nigerians feeling there is a power vacuum in the country...

Correspondents say the situation is complicated because of the system of alternating power between north and south.

Mr Yar'Adua is a northerner, while Vice-President Jonathan is from the south, so if he were to assume presidential duties, this would shorten the north's "turn"...

Last week, a new chief justice was sworn in despite Mr Yar'Adua's absence.

Some lawyers have challenged this, as the constitution states that chief justices should take the oath of office to the president.

Instead, the ceremony was presided over by the outgoing chief justice. He denies claims that the ceremony was illegal...

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