A panel from Nigeria's ruling party was due to screen presidential aspirants on Tuesday two days before a primary vote, giving final approval to President Goodluck Jonathon and his challengers to stand.
The People's Democratic Party (PDP) primary on Thursday is set to pit Jonathan against ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Other northern politicians such as Kwara state governor Bukola Saraki may also choose to be screened.
The screening panel, whose make-up has been kept secret, has the power to disqualify candidates on technicalities. Some analysts have suggested it could try to disqualify Atiku because he only recently rejoined the PDP.
A court on Monday threw out a suit brought by three PDP members seeking to stop Jonathan from standing on the grounds that his candidacy would break a party agreement to alternate rule between southerners and northerners every two terms.
Jonathan is from the mainly Christian south.
The PDP has won every election since the end of military rule more than a decade ago, and the winner of the party's primary has in the past been assumed to be nearly certain to become president.
However, Jonathan's controversial bid means the PDP is more divided than in the past, raising the prospect of a split in the party or of a stronger bid in April's election by an opposition candidate from outside the party.
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