Nigerian Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who wants to stand for president in elections next April, has been suspended for three months by the ruling party for alleged corruption, the party secretary said on Thursday, according to Reuters. Ojo Maduekwe also said the People's Democratic Party (PDP) would hold a convention to choose its candidate for the presidency on Dec. 16, which means Abubakar will not be able to contest the ruling party ticket. President Olusegun Obasanjo, who opposes his deputy's ambition to succeed him, sent two reports accusing Abubakar of corruption to the Senate on Sept. 7 and the two men have been exchanging accusations of graft ever since. "The indictment of the vice president ... has led the national executive council of the party to approve the suspension of the vice president from the party for three months," Maduekwe said in a statement after the council met. Obasanjo took part in the meeting but Abubakar was not present. Spokesmen for Abubakar were not immediately available for comment.
