VOA标准英语2010年-Nigerian Court, Parliament Set to Deli

The Nigerian Bar Association, a prominent human rights lawyer and a former lawmaker have filed separate suits seeking recognition for Vice¹ President Goodluck Jonathan as acting² president, given President Umaru Yar'Adua's six-week absence because of ill health.

Gilbert da Costa | Abuja 10 January 2010

Nigerian President Uamru Yar'Adua (file photo)

A federal court in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, will hold hearings this week on three lawsuits³ seeking to compel ailing⁴ President Umaru Yar'Adua to transfer powers to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.  The parliament also plans to discuss the president's illness when it resumes this week. 

The Nigerian Bar Association, a prominent human rights lawyer and a former lawmaker have filed separate suits seeking recognition for Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as acting president, given Mr.Yar'Adua's six-week absence because of ill health.

Nigeria's constitution states the president should write to both houses of parliament if he is leaving on holidays or otherwise unable to govern, and that the vice president should take over until he writes to the contrary.

The 58-year-old leader was flown to a clinic in Saudi Arabia in late November without formally notifying the parliament.  Nigeria Bar Association President Rotimi Akeredolu says the group is wants to resolve the current leadership crisis.

"There is no other body that should be more concerned than the Nigerian Bar Association about constitutionality and that is why we are in court," he said. "We are in court to see that our constitution is obeyed to the letters."

The government is facing growing pressure to provide concrete evidence that Mr.Yar'Adua is fit enough to govern Africa's most populous⁵ nation.

Officials have said the president is responding to treatment for a heart condition, and does not suffer from an infirmity that would render him permanently⁶ incapable⁷ of discharging his functions.

Information minister Dora Akunyili told reporters Vice President Jonathan informed a cabinet meeting last week that he had a telephone conversation with President Yar'Adua.

"The vice president told us in council that he spoke⁸ with Mr. President briefly⁹ at about 8 pm, yesterday," he said. "This is the only information I have."

But critics say government assurances are not enough and that further disclosure about Mr.Yar'Adua's health was needed.

Some political analysts¹⁰ warn the Nigerian president's death or even a further deterioration¹¹ of his health could lead to instability. 

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

4 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

5 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

6 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

7 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 deterioration   

n.退化；恶化；变坏

参考例句：

• Mental and physical deterioration both occur naturally with age. 随着年龄的增长，心智和体力自然衰退。
• The car's bodywork was already showing signs of deterioration. 这辆车的车身已经显示出了劣化迹象。