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Etteh's deputy, Nguroje Babangida, also resigned, an AFP reporter at parliament said.
"Following advice from my family members, friends and colleagues, I, Patricia Olubunmi Etteh hereby resign my appointment as the speaker of the House of Representatives with effect from today", Etteh said in her resignation letter read out by Terngu Tsegba, elected earlier Tuesday as acting speaker.
Etteh and Babangida's resignation came shortly before the House could vote on a motion to impeach the two.
The motion, brought by Kanayo Oguakwa, a member of Etteh's ruling People's Democratic Party from southern Enugu state, followed a closed-door plenary where lawmakers decided Etteh either had to resign or be forced out of office, a lawmaker who was present told AFP.
Nigeria's first female speaker scribbled her resignation in full view of the cameras in order to beat the decision on the motion of her impeachment, an AFP reporter said.
Tsegba will now preside over the house debate on the panel's report that found Etteh did not follow due process before awarding contracts worth several million dollars to equip and renovate her official residence and that of her deputy.
Earlier Tuesday, the police dispersed a protest rally organised by labour to force Etteh to resign, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.
NAN said police peaceably prevented several hundred protesters from marching beyond the gates of the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), an umbrella union, had called the march to force Etteh to resign.
The House adjourned for one week last week after members started brawling in the House and after one lawmaker collapsed and died in the fracas.
© 2007 AFP |
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he speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, resigned Tuesday, just hours after saying she would step aside temporarily to enable lawmakers to debate a report indicting her over a contract scam.
