By Musikilu Mojeed, Abuja
Published: Friday, 22 Dec 2006

The vice president had on Wednesday in Lagos emerged as the presidential candidate of the AC.

Abubakar was on September 28, 2006 suspended from the party over his alleged indictment for corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

A party source told our correspondent on Thursday that the decision to call the NEC meeting was taken by the National Working Committee of the party at an emergency meeting in Abuja shortly after Abubakar emerged the candidate of the AC.

The source said the NWC meeting deliberated on the defection of the vice-president to the AC and his submission before the Senate‘s ad hoc committee probing the finances of the Petroleum Technology Trust Fund.

The meeting, our source said, resolved that Abubakar had terribly embarrassed the party by his actions and that there was no need to continue to tolerate him in the fold.

The parley also reportedly resolved that an emergency NEC meeting should be called to expel the vice president.

Our source said the NWC would also recommend to the meeting that the executive arm of government should find a way to sanction Abubakar.

He said the president would be advised to approach the court to demand that the vice presidential seat be declared vacant.

”The argument is that the presidential ticket is indivisible. It is a joint ticket and since the VP has abandoned the ticket, he cannot continue to remain in office.”

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. John Odey, confirmed that a NEC meeting had been fixed for Friday.

He, however, said he was not aware of the agenda of the meeting.

Odey explained that he was not at Wednesday‘s NWC meeting where the agenda of the NEC meeting was decided.

Also, the Legacy House Campaign headquarters used by the Obasanjo/Atiku campaign organisation was reopened on Thursday.

The office was reopened for the use of the Yar’Adua presidential campaign organisation.