Senate kills bill seeking to prolong Obasanjo’s tenure

Nigerian senators voted on Tuesday to throw out a bill seeking to amend the country’s constitution to give President Olusegun Obasanjo the chance to run for a third successive term in office next year. A majority of lawmakers in the upper house agreed in a voice vote to scrap the bill, which has raised tensions in Africa’s most populous country plagued by ethnic and religious violence. “By this result, the Senate has said clearly and eloquently that we should discontinue further proceedings on this amendment bill,” Senate President Ken Nnamani announced to applause. Obasanjo, who was on a visit to France as the lawmakers took the decision, has never stated he wants to run again when his second, four-year term comes to an end in 2007. But he has hinted he would like to complete economic and political reforms he has initiated. However, many Nigerians believe he is behind a powerful campaign by his supporters to prolong his rule. Six months must now elapse before the bill can be re-presented to the Senate, if Obsanjo’s third term supporters wish to. The campaign to extend Obasanjo’s tenure split not only the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but also the government, with Vice President Atiku Abubakar rallying opponents and publicly accusing his boss of trying to institute life presidency. While the PDP officially supports extending Obasanjo’s tenure, the party has been unable to get all party lawmakers, who command a comfortable majority, to support it with their vote. The issue has also divided Nigeria along regional lines, with many influential politicians from the country’s predominantly Muslim north teaming up with fellow Muslim Abubakar against Obasanjo, a Christian from southwest Nigeria.