Nigerian chief judges suspended

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Four Nigerian chief judges have been suspended by judicial authorities for their alleged role in the controversial removal of state governors.

The row centres on whether some judges have backed illegal action taken against the governors by regional politicians for alleged corruption.

Some impeachments were later declared illegal by higher courts even though the judges backed them at the time.

Five governors have been impeached on corruption claims in just over a year.

Critics say the anti-corruption drive, spearheaded by President Olusegun Obasanjo, is a cover for a political witch-hunt.

Almost all of the country's 36 state governors, who cannot be prosecuted while in office, are currently being investigated by the country's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Punishment

The National Judicial Council's suspensions of the four chief judges come into immediate effect.

President Obasanjo cannot run for a third term in 2007

Chief Justice Alfa Belgore vowed to punish any judge who did not follow constitutionally laid down impeachment procedures.

Recently the Supreme Court ruled that January's impeachment of Oyo State's Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja was illegal.

One of those suspended is the chief judge of Anambra State, where Peter Obi was impeached for gross misconduct in November.

Another is from Ekiti State, where President Obasanjo declared a state of emergency after the impeachment of its state governor in October was declared unconstitutional.

In the ensuing political chaos, several different politicians declared themselves to be the rightful governor.

The president then stepped in and appointed a former general and political ally to administer the state.

It is not only state governors that find themselves under the close scrutiny of the EFCC.

In September, the agency accused the vice-president of fraudulently using $125m (£64m) of public funds for personal business interests.

Atiku Abubakar denies the allegations, which he says are politically motivated.

He fell out with the outgoing president over Mr Obasanjo's bid to serve a third term in office, and is standing as a candidate for the opposition in next April's presidential election.

Earlier this year, Nigeria's parliament rejected a plan to change the constitution to let Mr Obasanjo seek the third term.