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Nigeria graft shock resignations Nigeria graft shock resignations
(about 3 hours later)
Members of a Nigerian Senate committee probing graft allegations against the president and his deputy have resigned.Members of a Nigerian Senate committee probing graft allegations against the president and his deputy have resigned.
They say Senate leaders were interfering with their investigations.They say Senate leaders were interfering with their investigations.
They also say there had been pressure on them to "water down" their report which alleges money belonging to a government agency was misappropriated.They also say there had been pressure on them to "water down" their report which alleges money belonging to a government agency was misappropriated.
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is barred from running in next month's presidential poll and is challenging an indictment in court.Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is barred from running in next month's presidential poll and is challenging an indictment in court.
Our integrity was at stake. We resigned because we are principled people Senator Umar TsauriChairman of the committeeOur integrity was at stake. We resigned because we are principled people Senator Umar TsauriChairman of the committee
A government ministerial panel accused him of diverting money belonging to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).A government ministerial panel accused him of diverting money belonging to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
The country's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which examined the PTDF financial records accused Mr Abubakar of diverting some $125m to his personal businesses.The country's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which examined the PTDF financial records accused Mr Abubakar of diverting some $125m to his personal businesses.
Mr Abubakar denies all the charges and is in court challenging his exclusion from the presidential election.Mr Abubakar denies all the charges and is in court challenging his exclusion from the presidential election.
Senator Umar Tsauri, chairman of the committee, told the BBC they had met "repeated roadblocks" in trying to present the report to the Senate and felt its release before the elections was being prevented.Senator Umar Tsauri, chairman of the committee, told the BBC they had met "repeated roadblocks" in trying to present the report to the Senate and felt its release before the elections was being prevented.
"We pleaded with the leadership of the Senate to allow us to present our report but they said no and we just felt it was better to resign because it'd be a blow to our integrity, " he said."We pleaded with the leadership of the Senate to allow us to present our report but they said no and we just felt it was better to resign because it'd be a blow to our integrity, " he said.
"Our integrity was at stake. We resigned because we are principled people.""Our integrity was at stake. We resigned because we are principled people."
The Senate is currently debating the sudden resignation of the committee members behind closed doors. A BBC correspondent in the Nigerian parliament says the leadership of the Senate has been shocked by the resignations.The Senate is currently debating the sudden resignation of the committee members behind closed doors. A BBC correspondent in the Nigerian parliament says the leadership of the Senate has been shocked by the resignations.
President Olusegun Obasanjo is standing down in April after two terms in office. Disappointed supporters
Mr Abubakar fell out with President Olusegun Obasanjo after he publicly opposed moves to change the country's constitution to give the president a third term.
President Obasanjo is standing down after two terms in office
Mr Obasanjo's political loyalists then forced Mr Abubakar out of the ruling party and he joined the opposition Action Congress (AC) on whose platform he is running for president.
Meanwhile, thousands of Mr Abubakar's supporters were disappointed on Tuesday when he failed to turn up for his own campaign rally in the north-eastern Jigawa State.
"He is still recovering from his recent surgery and is not likely to attend any rallies for the next one week or so," Mr Abubakar's spokesman Garba Shehu told the BBC's News website.
The vice-president fell off his running machine last week and was flown to the UK to be treated for a torn tendon.
Mr Shehu denied that Mr Abubakar had abandoned the campaign because he had been barred from running in the elections.
Some AC insiders, however, say Mr Abubakar avoided the Jigawa rally because he feared that the police might "try to embarrass him on the basis that he is no longer a candidate".