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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Confusion after Nigerian rulings | Confusion after Nigerian rulings |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's electoral body has been told to allow Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to run for president in April's poll. | Nigeria's electoral body has been told to allow Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to run for president in April's poll. |
| The Federal High Court in Abuja ruled the electoral body lacked the power to exclude Mr Abubakar from the election. | The Federal High Court in Abuja ruled the electoral body lacked the power to exclude Mr Abubakar from the election. |
| But this contradicts a ruling made hours earlier by a superior court which said the Independent National Electoral Commission could disqualify candidates. | But this contradicts a ruling made hours earlier by a superior court which said the Independent National Electoral Commission could disqualify candidates. |
| Mr Abubakar became a leading opposition candidate after falling out with former ally President Olusegun Obasanjo. | Mr Abubakar became a leading opposition candidate after falling out with former ally President Olusegun Obasanjo. |
| Justice Tijani Abubakar at the Federal High Court ordered Inec to respect the verdict and put Mr Abubakar's name on the 21 April ballot. | Justice Tijani Abubakar at the Federal High Court ordered Inec to respect the verdict and put Mr Abubakar's name on the 21 April ballot. |
| The court verdict is not a blank cheque for Inec to just disqualify anyone Garba ShehuMr Abubakar's spokesman | The court verdict is not a blank cheque for Inec to just disqualify anyone Garba ShehuMr Abubakar's spokesman |
| But earlier, the appeal court in Abuja ruled that Inec can bar candidates who are not qualified to stand for this month's elections. | But earlier, the appeal court in Abuja ruled that Inec can bar candidates who are not qualified to stand for this month's elections. |
| The BBC's Senan Murray in the capital, Abuja, says that in theory the appeal court ruling will carry precedence as it is a higher court. | The BBC's Senan Murray in the capital, Abuja, says that in theory the appeal court ruling will carry precedence as it is a higher court. |
| Blow? | Blow? |
| The vice-president's spokesman dismissed claims that the appeal court ruling was a blow to Mr Abubakar's presidential hopes. | |
| Mr Obasanjo is standing down after two terms in office | |
| Mr Abubakar was indicted for graft by a government ministerial panel which investigated corruption in an oil fund. He denies corruption. | |
| Electoral officials say corruption charges against him would have to be dropped for him to be eligible to run for presidency. | Electoral officials say corruption charges against him would have to be dropped for him to be eligible to run for presidency. |
| Mr Abubakar filed an appeal after Inec omitted his name from a list of 24 candidates cleared to stand for election. | |
| The losing parties in both cases say they plan to appeal. | The losing parties in both cases say they plan to appeal. |
| President Obasanjo is standing down after two terms and Umaru Yar'Adua is standing on behalf of his People's Democratic Party (PDP). | President Obasanjo is standing down after two terms and Umaru Yar'Adua is standing on behalf of his People's Democratic Party (PDP). |
| Mr Abubakar, a founding PDP member, defected to the opposition Action Congress (AC) after he fell out with President Obasanjo. | Mr Abubakar, a founding PDP member, defected to the opposition Action Congress (AC) after he fell out with President Obasanjo. |
| AC 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. | AC 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. |