Legislators accuse Nigerian president of ordering massacres

ABUJA, Nigeria - Lawmakers from Nigeria's ruling party increased efforts to impeach President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday, accusing him of twice ordering soldiers to massacre civilians.

The allegations were the most damning on a list of 17 charges of ''gross misconduct'' leveled by the Peoples Democratic Party caucus, which controls the House of Representatives.

Nigerian president asked to resign - Troika member who joined S. Africa's Mbeki on Mugabe's fate*** The gruff former military ruler has survived similar parliamentary actions in the past, but political analysts say the mood in the oil-producing country had changed dramatically amid mounting charges of government corruption.

Local elections, the first polls since military rule ended in 1999, were postponed indefinitely last week, raising doubts over presidential and general elections next year.

Both the House of Representatives and the upper chamber, the Senate, are dominated by Obasanjo's People's Democratic Party, which is also dominant in most of Nigeria's 36 states.

The outcome of any impeachment proceedings may be determined by the mood of the Senate, which will reconvene at the end of August and must vote by a two-thirds majority for any impeachment to pass.

Obasanjo has declared his intention to seek reelection, but senior PDP members said the party mandated a secret committee of its board of trustees last week to launch a search for a possible new candidate. The PDP would not comment on this officially.***

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