Faced with the impeachment threat issued against President Olusegun Obasanjo by the House of Representatives, Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has begun high level political fence-mending to save the President from the lawmakers' ire. The lower house of the National Assembly had on Tuesday given President Obasanjo two weeks within which to resign or be impeached. Fourteen allegations were considered as impeachable offences.

Although the President reportedly dismissed the move as a mere threat, his deputy is not taking it lightly. Atiku, who was in Congo Brazzaville for the swearing in of its elected President, hurriedly returned home the same day to douse the legislators' impeachment enthusiasm. He began by meeting with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and telling them to mediate. Consequently, PDP National Chairman, Prince Audu Ogbeh called the house leadership to tell them not to overheat the system. Ogbeh said that the legislature, the Government and the judiciary have distinctive functions but there should be mutual respect and cooperation between them. Vice- President Atiku also met some lawmakers in Abuja and warned them of the danger inherent in their action.

Should the President be removed, Atiku would be the direct beneficiary. But the Vice-President was reportedly uncomfortable with the House of Representatives threat. He had on several occasions professed his unflinching support for the President. Atiku has political clout in many parties and is meeting with his political friends in other parties. The import of his discussion with various groups he had met was that impeachment was unthinkable. This weekend, he is likely to meet other groups, particularly eminent leaders from the North. Most signatories of the impeachment motion were lawmakers from the North, chiefly from the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).

The motion giving the president 14 days within which to resign or be impeached was sponsored by 87 members.

Governor Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto state has criticized the global rating of the democratic system above other forms of government. The Governor said that the benefits of democracy "must not only be well spread but ought to be an absolute embodiment of the real aspirations of the governed... The most tangible dividend of democracy for us is the prevalence of collective will and aspirations of the citizenry as provided in the Sharia legal system. I am not oblivious to the criticisms from some quarters on Sharia implementation but I always derive strength from the belief that Allah knows the sincerity of our deeds and actions. He also knows our limitations. In fact," Bafarawa maintained, "the reality is that our people genuinely aspire to the implementation of Sharia in all phases of their lives. We thank Allah for making us active participants in this endeavor, contrary to subjective and mischievous criticisms. Objective scholars of other faiths are aware of the fact that the Sharia legal system encourages moral values. It refines human beings to such a level of perfection that justice, love, mercy, tolerance and brotherliness are the basis of interaction among individuals and groups. Let me re-affirm that we shall never waver in this course.''