Interim National Government

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Cabinet of Ernest Shonekan

  Cabinet of Nigeria
Date formed27 August 1993
Date dissolved17 November 1993
People and organisations
Head of stateErnest Shonekan
Head of governmentErnest Shonekan
History
PredecessorGovernment of General Ibrahim Babangida
SuccessorGovernment of General Sani Abacha

The Cabinet of Ernest Shonekan was the government of Nigeria for about three months after General Ibrahim Babangida handed over to Ernest Shonekan as interim president on 27 August 1993. The largely powerless government was dissolved when General Sani Abacha seized power on 17 November 1993.

History

12 June 1993 presidential election was won by Moshood Abiola. General Babangida annulled the election.[1] This led to rioting, particularly in the south, which was harshly suppressed. Babangida announced that he would step down on 26 August 1993, and handed over to Ernest Shonekan as head of the Interim National Government (ING) on 27 August 1993.[2] Shoenkan had a degree in law, had studied at the Harvard Business School in the US, and had held senior management positions in various companies.[3] He was an Oloye of the Yoruba people and had been president of Babangida's Transitional Council.[4] He was an unelected technocrat chosen in a deal between Babangida and political leaders, and his appointment was poorly received by the press and the public.[5]

Shonekan appointed Moshood Abiola as his vice-president.[4] General Sani Abacha was made secretary of defence in the cabinet.[1] Under the ING the country suffered runaway inflation and saw strikes by workers in various sectors. Most foreign investors withdrew apart from oil companies. Shonekan made efforts to have government debt forgiven. He drew up a timetable for return to democracy and for withdrawal of Nigeria's contingent from the ECOMOG preackeeping force in Liberia. He also launched an audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the largest oil company, and tried to restore civil liberties.[6] Shonekan managed to remove laws that allowed arbitrary arrest and confiscation of property, promoted press freedom, obtained the release of some political prisoners and made reforms to the corrupt public services and state-owned companies.[7]

No clear process was given for holding fresh elections, and there was general political uncertainty under the Shonekan government.[8] The ING faced media campaigns against the delay in returning to democracy and the continued involvement of the military in politics. The government was opposed by pro-democracy activists, civil society organisations, labour unions and students. The Lagos high court nullified Shonekan's appointment and called for Abiola to be sworn in as the elected candidate for the presidency.[9] General Sani Abacha forced Shonekan to resign on 17 November 1993, and as the most senior military officer took over as head of state.[1]

Ministers

The ministers initially announced were:[4]

The final list of members was:[10]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Cajetan N. Iheka 2012, p. 1.
  2. ^ Cajetan N. Iheka 2012, p. 336.
  3. ^ Oladiti Abiodun Akeem 2014, p. 182.
  4. ^ a b c Daily Times news item, 1993.
  5. ^ Ayo Olukotun 2004, p. 69.
  6. ^ Oladiti Abiodun Akeem 2014, p. 184.
  7. ^ Oladiti Abiodun Akeem 2014, p. 187.
  8. ^ Oladiti Abiodun Akeem 2014, p. 183.
  9. ^ Oladiti Abiodun Akeem 2014, p. 186.
  10. ^ Wale Fatade 2014.

Sources

  • Ayo Olukotun (2004). Repressive State and Resurgent Media Under Nigeria's Military Dictatorship, 1988–98. Nordic Africa Institute. ISBN 978-91-7106-524-7. Retrieved 3 July 2015. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Cajetan N. Iheka (2012). "Abacha, Sani". Dictionary of African Biography. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5. Retrieved 3 July 2015. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • "Daily Times news item, 1993". Daily Times of Nigeria.
  • Oladiti Abiodun Akeem (2014). "Ernest Shonekan and Interim National Governance in Nigeria". Research on Humanities and Social Sciences. 4 (18). ISSN 2225-0484. Retrieved 3 July 2015. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Wale Fatade (2014). "In the interim, a government in a fix". Daily Independent. Retrieved 3 July 2015. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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