A move to amend Nigeria's constitution to give President Olusegun Obasanjo a third term looks unlikely to succeed, after more than a third of Nigeria's senators voiced opposition to it.
Reports say after two weeks of debate, some 40 of 90 senators have spoken against the measure. It needs support from at least two-thirds of the senate to pass. Fourteen senators have yet to speak on the issue, but that is not enough to change the bill's fate.
After Thursday's debate, President Obasanjo delayed his departure for Indonesia long enough to hold an emergency meeting with parliamentary leaders. He did not comment afterward.
Last month Vice President Atiku Abubakar formed a new political party to oppose the third-term effort.
President Obasanjo finishes his second four-year term next year.
Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.