ABUJA Nigeria's Upper House removed its president, Chuba Okadigbo, on Tuesday after an impeachment vote climaxing a parliamentary inquiry into contract awards, witnesses said.
The 109-member Senate voted 81 to 14 in favor of removing Okadigbo after he refused to comply with an earlier resolution of the house asking him to resign, lawmakers said.
The impeachment will be welcomed by the many Nigerians who have expressed shock and outrage at testimony to a parliamentary inquiry into contract deals and the shareout of huge financial perks by parliamentary leaders.
The move also looked certain to bolster President Olusegun Obasanjo's campaign for accountability in Nigerian public life.
Many Nigerians believe widespread and deeply ingrained corruption has hampered economic development in Africa's top oil exporter.
Earlier Okadigbo's Deputy, Haruna Abubakar, and Senate leader Samaila Mamman, tendered their resignations in line with the conclusions of the ad hoc parliamentary committee that carried out open hearings into contract irregularities.
(Reuter)