{{Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked nine cabinet ministers amid serious divisions in the governing party.}}<\/p>\n
Two weeks ago, seven of the country’s powerful state governors and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar formed a splinter-group in the PDP.<\/p>\n
They were angry after their allies were disqualified from party elections.<\/p>\n
BBC Nigeria analyst Naziru Mikailu says the factions are jockeying for power ahead of 2015 polls.<\/p>\n
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has won every national election since the end of military rule in 1999, so the party’s presidential candidate would be in a strong position to become Nigeria’s next leader.<\/p>\n
Allies of Mr Jonathan have already started campaigning for him to seek re-election – he has not revealed whether he intends to stand.<\/p>\n
Among those dismissed are the ministers of foreign affairs, education and national planning, reports the Reuters news agency.<\/p>\n
Sacked Education Minister Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufai was nominated for her position by one of the rebel governors.<\/p>\n
No official reason has been given for the reshuffle, while a presidential spokesman said there would be no rush to replace the sacked officials.<\/p>\n
Mr Jonathan has been president since 2010, when his predecessor died in office and he was promoted from vice-president.<\/p>\n
He beat off a challenge from Mr Abubakar to be the PDP candidate in the 2011 elections, which he won despite opposition claims of rigging.<\/p>\n
He is from the mainly Christian south, while some northern politicians say it is the “turn” of someone from Nigeria’s mostly Muslim north to be national president.<\/p>\n
BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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