TheNewsGuru

Tag: Interim Government

  • Ernest Shonekan: We are extremely proud of what he has done- Osinbajo

    Ernest Shonekan: We are extremely proud of what he has done- Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the death of Chief Ernest Shonekan is a major loss to the country, private sector and the international community.

    Osinbajo, who was accompanied by his wife, Dolapo, spoke with newsmen after a condolence visit to the family of the late Shonekan on Sunday in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Shonekan died in Lagos on Jan. 11 at the age of 85; he was a statesman, who served as the Head of Interim National Government from Aug. 26, 1993, to Nov. 17, 1993.

    The vice president was received by Shonekan’s widow, Margaret and son, Adeboye.

    “I think that it’s a very major loss for the country, for the private sector and even internationally.

    “Here was a man who made an impact; he was one of the first leaders in the private sector to begin to shape economic policy in Nigeria.

    “His role in that aspect was significant; of course, many of us know that at various times his interventions in many ways defined the way our economic policy was framed or our economic policy was thrown up.’’

    Osinbajo said that late Shonekan was very consequential as a leader in the private sector.

    “Of course, there is no question at all about the role he played at the very tension filled and uncertain time in the life of the nation, especially as head of the Interim National Government.

    “ I think that when you look at his role from the private sector to statesman, there is no question at all that this was a very unique individual and I believe that his contributions will be evergreen.

    “We are extremely proud of what he has done; we are extremely proud of his life and times and we pray that his memory will be blessed forever,’’ Osinbajo said.

    The vice president had earlier prayed for the family of the deceased and signed the condolence register.

    Part of the vice president’s message in the condolence register reads, “we pray that the Lord will comfort the family and may his memory be blessed forever in Jesus name.’’

  • Tight security at late Shonekan’s residence amidst rumoured Buhari’s visit

    Tight security at late Shonekan’s residence amidst rumoured Buhari’s visit

    Security was tightened on Thursday at the Lagos residence of the late Chief Ernest Shonekan, the former Head of defunct Interim National Government (ING).

    Newsmen reports that this followed rumour that President Muhammadu Buhari will pay a condolence visit to late Shonekan’s family.

    A correspondent monitoring condolence visits at the residence observed heavy presence of security operatives – police and military – who had taken positions in and around the premises.

    No fewer than 10 patrol vans of police and military police as well as two Armoured Personnel Carriers were stationed around the residence at Ikoyi in Lagos.

    Human and vehicular movements had been restricted in the area, while sympathisers were being politely turned back.

    One of the security operatives told NAN that there was no clearance for journalists to come to the residence.

    Another operative said the president was expected to pay late Shonekan’s family condolence visit.

    It would be recalled that newsmen had not been allowed into the premises of the late head of ING since his death on Tuesday.

    Shonekan died in Lagos at the age of 85.

    He succeeded military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, as the Head of the defunct Interim National Government (ING) from Aug. 26, 1993, to Nov. 17, 1993.

    The ING was constituted when he stepped aside in August 1993 by Babangida in the aftermath of the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

    Shonekan’s ING was later overthrown by the late Gen. Sani Abacha, who was the Defence Secretary in the Shonekan-led ING.

    Prior to his brief political career, Shonekan was the chairman and Chief Executive of the United African Company

  • 1936-2022: The man Ernest Shonekan

    1936-2022: The man Ernest Shonekan

    …only Nigerian who spent shortest time in office

    …tasted power for 81days

    Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan GCFR (9 May 1936 – 11 January 2022), was in charge of the political entity known as Nigeria for almost eighty-one days before Late Gen Sani Abacha shoved him aside.

    He won the hearts of many Nigerians as while reading his resignation letter he announced that he was doing it in an unusual meeting.

    This immediately sent the signal across to all Nigerians that he was leaving office though an interim management arrangement but under an unusual situation.

    A very successful business man who headed a multinational, the United Africa Company, UAC for several years before accepting the leadership of the interim government bequeathed to him by military President Ibrahim Babangida in 1993 after the June 12 political turmoil.

    Shonekan is the only Nigerian head of government that spent only 81 days in office though the Nigerian military knew they could not leave government in a vacuum and foisted an interim arrangement to pave way for another khaki man.

    His profile:

    Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan GCFR, titled Abese of Egbaland from 1981, was a Nigerian lawyer and statesman who served as the interim Head of State of Nigeria from 26 August 1993 to 17 November 1993.
    Born: 9 May 1936 (age 85 years), Lagos
    Spouse: Margaret Shonekan
    Children: Korede Shonekan, Adeboye Shonekan, Kemi Shonekan, Yele Shonekan
    Education: University of London (1962), Harvard Business School

    Ernest Shonekan Early Life
    Shonekan attended C.M.S grammar school and Igbobi College both in Lagos. He also attended and received a law degree from the University of London after which he was called to bar.

    Ernest Shonekan Career
    After being called to bar, Shonekan worked as the chief executive of United African Company PLC (UAC). He was a seasoned and proven businessman with a wide network. Because of his proven abilities and political neutrality, then president Ibrahim Babangida liked him and made him a prospective leader for his council of civilians-run government, a government which was in the midst of economic turmoil and later came to a political crisis. He was Head of the Transitional Council of Babangida ‘s government in 1993.

    On January 2nd, 1993, Shonekan assumed office as the head of government affairs under the leadership of the military president Babangida. At the time, the transitional council was designed to be the final phase leading to a scheduled hand over to an elected democratic leader.

    On August 26th, 1993, Shonekan was appointed the interim president of Nigeria by General Ibrahim Babangida. Shonekan assumed office to meet the Nation gradually moving towards meeting a stalemate. He made attempts to have the Nations’s debt cancelled but after the annulment of June 12 election most of the western powers imposed economic sanctions on Nigeria. He tried to set things straight but he loosely controlled the military.

    Shonekan only stayed in office for a transitional period of three months before his administration was toppled by General Sani Abacha who forcefully brought Nigeria back to military control on November 17th, 1993.

    Ernest Shonekan Personal Life
    Shonekan is married to Margaret Shonekan and they have four children namely, Adeboye, Korede, Kemi and Yele. Since leaving government, he has taken the role of an elder statesman.

  • BREAKING: Ernest Shonekan is dead

    BREAKING: Ernest Shonekan is dead

    Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan has passed away, aged 85

    Reports reaching TheNewsGuru, TNG, revealed Shonekan died at Evercare hospital in Lekki.

    He was the interim head of the Nigerian Government between August 26 and November 17 1993 when he was ousted in a coup led by late General Sani Abacha.

  • PDP speaks on alleged plans to sponsor interim government

    PDP speaks on alleged plans to sponsor interim government

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected insinuations that opposition parties were toying with the idea of setting up an Interim Government, as stated by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed at a briefing in Abuja on Monday.

    The main opposition party countered that it cannot accept any form of unconstitutional governance and a contraption like an interim government.

    A statement Tuesday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said its confident of a landslide victory for its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the February 16 presidential election.

    The PDP said a suggestion of an Interim Government, under any pretext, context or contemplation can only come from desperate and unpatriotic minds in a failed administration, or from a political party that has lost hope of being re-elected in a free, fair and credible election, due to its manifest incompetence and humongous corruption.

    “Every Nigerian knows the desperation of the APC and the Buhari Presidency ahead of the 2019 general election, leading to their resort to threats, intimidation and clamp down on dissenting voices, as well as, assault on institutions of democracy, in the face of incontrovertible indices pointing to their imminent crushing defeat at the polls.

    “The PDP has already alerted Nigerians that Alhaji Lai Mohammed had let out APC’s ignoble “plan B” of “if we can’t have it, then destroy it”, which is to cause violence, derail the electoral process and blame it on the opposition; not minding the damage such could cause the nation, including human and material losses.

    “We hope such cruel plot, as revealed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is not the underlining reason behind the APC administration’s alleged neglect and undermining of our security forces fighting in the fronts”, the statement added.

    The main opposition party charged Alhaji Lai Mohammed to come clear on the source of his information, if it is not a plot being hatched by the APC.

    The PDP urged the Minister to tell Nigerians if his source of information was the Police, the military or the Directorate of State Services (DSS) so that they can appropriately channel their concerns.

    The party urged Nigerians to be at alert and keep an eye on the APC in their “nefarious” plans against the nation, adding that the ruling party has made its strategy public.

    “On our own part, the PDP is prepared and ready for the elections. We have been going round the country peacefully, campaigning and presenting our candidate, policies and programmes to the electorate.

    “The PDP will therefore not accept any form of interim government, not when Nigerians have already attained a consensus to rally behind and vote in the peoples Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as their next President, come February 16, 2019”, the PDP further said.