Nigeria political crisis

A fragile power-sharing agreement in Nigeria, with the president representing the northern, Islamist region and the vice president representing the southern, Christian regions, was thrown into crisis in January when President Yar’Adua left the country for medical treatment. In his prolonged absence, opposition parties wrangled over allowing Vice President Jonathan to be the acting president. 

On Jan. 13 a federal court ruled that the vice president should become acting president but that constitutional procedures would not be set aside. In March there were protests of about 2,000 people in the capital.