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| Nigerian leader in poll warning | Nigerian leader in poll warning |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that the government will "deal firmly" with acts of violence and fraud in forthcoming elections. | |
| In a national radio and TV broadcast, Mr Obasanjo said "highly placed individuals" were encouraging violence. | In a national radio and TV broadcast, Mr Obasanjo said "highly placed individuals" were encouraging violence. |
| This is seen as a thinly veiled attack on Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who has fallen out with the president. | This is seen as a thinly veiled attack on Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who has fallen out with the president. |
| Meanwhile, a prominent Islamic cleric has been shot dead inside a mosque in the northern city of Kano. | |
| Ustaz Ja'afar Adam was once a key member of the Kano State government but eventually fell out with the governor. | |
| He and two of his followers were killed during dawn prayers. | |
| It has not been established whether the killing was politically motivated or to do with rivalries between local Islamic sects. | |
| 'No stone unturned' | |
| In his national address, Mr Obasanjo said: | |
| President Obasanjo is standing down after two terms | |
| "It is a matter of great regret... that some supposedly highly placed individuals have been reported to be fanning the embers of discord, hatred, violence and destruction. | |
| "Let me assure all Nigerians that the federal government will leave no stone unturned in vigorously checking [any] sanctioning [of] acts of violence and thuggery and other excesses calculated to disturb the peace or disrupt the elections." | |
| Mr Abubakar is barred from running for president because of corruption charges, which he says are political. | |
| He has gone to court, seeking to be allowed to run but the case has not been decided, with just eight days to go until presidential elections. | |
| Mr Abubakar says Mr Obasanjo declared two days of public holiday on Thursday and Friday in order to further delay his court case. | |
| Mr Obasanjo says the holidays were to enable people to travel to where they registered to vote. | |
| Doubt | |
| President Obasanjo promised to "seriously deal with" people who try to disrupt the poll. | President Obasanjo promised to "seriously deal with" people who try to disrupt the poll. |
| More than 100 people have died in election violence across Nigeria since last November, according to a recent report by Human Rights Watch. | More than 100 people have died in election violence across Nigeria since last November, according to a recent report by Human Rights Watch. |
| Mr Obasanjo, who was re-elected in 2003, is standing down next month after eight years in power. | |
| State legislative and governorship polls will be held on Saturday while the presidential and national assembly elections are due on April 21. | State legislative and governorship polls will be held on Saturday while the presidential and national assembly elections are due on April 21. |
| With Mr Abubakar's candidacy in doubt, the main contenders for president are the ruling party's Umaru Yar'Adua and former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP). |