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Nigeria awaits presidential list Key Nigerian candidate frozen out
(about 7 hours later)
Nigeria's electoral commission is to publish the official list of candidates for next month's presidential election. Nigeria's Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has been omitted from the electoral commission's list of candidates for next month's presidential election.
But Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is facing corruption charges, is set not to be included. Electoral officials say corruption charges against him would have to be dropped for him to be eligible to run for the presidency.
Electoral officials say the charges mean Mr Abubakar is constitutionally barred from standing for election. Mr Abubakar became a leading opposition candidate after falling out with former ally President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Mr Abubakar, standing as an opposition candidate after falling out with former ally President Obasanjo, has said he will challenge the decision in court. He has said he will challenge the decision in court.
Despite a high court ruling that the commission cannot disqualify candidates, electoral officials say Mr Abubakar is barred by the constitution, unless he manages to get a court to dismiss government accusations of corruption against him. Despite a high court ruling that the commission could not disqualify candidates, electoral officials say the constitution bars Mr Abubakar from running for office.
"Commissioners have no choice but to apply the constitution," Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) Chairman Maurice Iwu said.
"Once you have been indicted, Inec cannot do anything about it."
Time running outTime running out
So the whole issue of whether he can stand will be resolved in the courts, but there is one rather large problem: time is running out. Mr Abubakar has said the corruption indictment is politically motivated and he has challenged it in the courts.
The BBC's Alex Last in Nigeria says the whole issue of whether he can stand will be resolved in the courts, but there is one rather large problem: time is running out.
There are just five weeks to go before the election; ballot papers will have to be printed and delivered soon, given that there are some 60 million registered voters spread throughout the country.There are just five weeks to go before the election; ballot papers will have to be printed and delivered soon, given that there are some 60 million registered voters spread throughout the country.
There is the real risk that these elections will be mired in messy court cases and legal challenges, both before and after the votes are cast. There is the real risk that these elections will be mired in messy court cases and legal challenges, both before and after the votes are cast, our reporter says.
The vice-president's party, the Action Congress, says the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) is leading Nigeria towards anarchy. The vice-president's party, the Action Congress, says the position of Inec is leading Nigeria towards anarchy.
The Action Congress is one of the two main opposition parties contesting the election, and continues to hold mass rallies around the country, despite the threat to its candidates' presidential ambitions. The Action Congress is one of the two main opposition parties contesting the election, and continues to hold mass rallies around the country, despite the block to its candidates' presidential ambitions.