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Commonwealth weighs readmission

Commonwealth foreign ministers meeting in London on Thursday were considering whether Nigeria should be readmitted to the 54-nation club once the democratically elected government of President-elect Olusegun Obasanjo is sworn into office on 29 May. A Nigerian government spokesman told IRIN that foreign ministers were expected to vote on Nigeria's return to the Commonwealth and that further details would be disclosed after their decision was announced. Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1995 after the execution of the author and minority rights campaigner, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight companions during the hardline rule of the late military leader, General Sani Abacha. Abacha died in June last year and was succeeded by General Abdulsalami Abubakar who paved the way for the return to civilian rule.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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