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Nigeria ruling party in key talks Nigerian party picks new leader
(about 16 hours later)
Nigeria's governing party is holding its national convention to decide on the new party leadership. The governing People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria has elected Vincent Ogbulafor as its new leader at a convention in the capital, Abuja.
The meeting is being seen as a test of the influence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is backing a candidate to become chairman. Mr Ogbulafor is the party's former general secretary and is considered a compromise candidate, able to unite different factions of the party.
Mr Obasanjo retains a powerful position within the structure of the People's Democratic Party. His election is seen as a setback for ex-leader Olusegun Obasanjo who was backing his own candidate.
President Umaru Yar'Adua is staying neutral on the issue of who will become party chairman. The PDP won heavily in disputed 2007 polls and dominates national politics.
It won a large majority in last year's elections for the presidency, the legislature and state governors.
President Umaru Yar'Adua was chosen by Mr Obasanjo to stand as his successor.
He had stayed neutral on the issue of who would become party chairman.
Saturday's meeting was seen as a test of the influence of Mr Obasanjo, who retains a powerful position within the PDP structure.
Before leaving office, Mr Obasanjo became head of the PDP Board of Trustees - a virtually permanent position. He also ensured allies took other leadership posts.Before leaving office, Mr Obasanjo became head of the PDP Board of Trustees - a virtually permanent position. He also ensured allies took other leadership posts.
Mr Obasanjo has openly backed one of his allies, Sam Egwu, to become party chairman.
'Incongruous''Incongruous'
But some groups within the PDP are campaigning against his choice and say they want to reduce the former president's influence within the party. Mr Obasanjo openly backed one of his allies, Sam Egwu, to become party chairman.
But some groups within the PDP campaigned against his choice and said they wanted to reduce the former president's influence within the party.
"It is incongruous," said Ken Nnamani, a member of the PDP National Executive Council."It is incongruous," said Ken Nnamani, a member of the PDP National Executive Council.
"As an elder statesman he should be advising government in private. He should not hold a partisan position." "As an elder statesman, he should be advising government in private. He should not hold a partisan position."
The PDP, which dominates the country's politics, won a large majority in disputed elections last year for the presidency, the legislature and state governors. President Umaru Yar'Adua was chosen by Mr Obasanjo to stand as his successor. Nigerian politics has never really been about ideology but more about personal power and patronage so there was likely a lot of back-room dealing before the result was announced, says the BBC's Alex Last in Lagos.
The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says Mr Yar'Adua's decision to stay neutral on the leadership question at the convention may open the field considerably, not least as some powerful state governors may wish to have their own say.
Nigerian politics has never really been about ideology, he adds, but more about personal power and patronage so there is likely to be a lot of back-room dealing before the result is announced.