Nigeria's ruling party formally threw its weight behind a bid to extend President Olusegun Obasanjo's hold on power on Thursday, according to Reuters. The campaign to keep Obasanjo in charge of Africa's top oil- producing nation for another four years has caused instability and violence and raised fears among civil society groups the country is backsliding on democracy. A committee of lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment to extend the president's tenure from two to three terms this week, but many observers think it lacks the two-thirds support it needs to pass into law, according to Reuters. "The National Executive Council of the party is asking its members to lobby our legislators at the National and State Assemblies to support and approve the draft bill," said Ojo Maduekwe, secretary-general of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), after a meeting of the party's top brass. Maduekwe offered no political justification for the party's backing of a third term, which has met massive resistance across Africa's most populous country.
