News

Shonekan: Nigeria’s Leader Overthrown Without Resistance

Published

4 years ago

January 11, 2022

Abbas Yushau Yusuf

With the announcement of the death of the first and only Nigeria’s interim leader ,Chief Ernest Shonekan on 11 January 2022 at a Lagos Hospital after a brief illness ,a cross section of Nigerians may not be aware of the peaceful life lived by the Late Chief Ernest Shonekan.

Shonekan will go down memory lane as the first and only interim civilian leader Nigeria had since independence considering the circumstances which he emerge Nigerias leader.

When General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida annulled the June 12 1993 Presidential election won by Late Chief MKO Abiola , General Babangida had no option than to handover power ,the first reason was that since 1990 General Babangida has been shifting goal post ,so when finally Abiola’s election was cancelled by him Nigeria was thrown into serious political turmoil.The political elites were seriously divided and there was crack in the military,there are some military officers that have the notion of maintaining General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida as the commander in chief beyond August 26 1993, the day set for handing over to civilians,while others nursed the idea of violently toppling General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and install Chief MKO Abiola as the President and commander in chief.

Breaking:Former Head Of Interim Govt Chief Ernest Shonekan Is Dead

Since the handover is going to take place on the appointed date and Abiola’s election was annulled, Babangida has no option than to voluntarily handover the reins of government since extension of his tenure will be illegal.

With the seeming crisis General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida settled for the chairman of Nigerias Transition committee Chief Ernest Shonekan.

To appease south west whose son won the election in a landslide, Shonekan like Chief MKO Abiola is from the South West and Ogun state, therefore handing over to him is the natural thing to do.

On the D-Day , August 26 1993 ,General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida in his white robe at the council chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa handed over power to Shonekan in a low key event and went straight to Minna the capital city of Niger state and his home town.

But when Babangida was leaving , Shonekan’s hand was tied as all the members of the interim Government was appointed Babangida including ministers ,and from day one Shonekan started with the crisis of loyalty.

The Secretary of Defence General Sani Abacha was the first military officer to become a full general like the sitting President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,so in the ensuing political scenario General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida while handing over to Shonekan retired with Military officers who are Junior in Rank to General Sani Abacha and left General Sani Abacha to secure the interim Government.

So when Late Chief Ernest Shonekan settled for another transition to civil rule,issues that seems to render him incompetent in the eyes of Nigerians appeared like fuel Scarcity,Tanker drivers strike and increment in fuel price.

Another blow to Late Chief Ernest Shonekan’s government was the hijack of Nigerian airways plane and taken to Niger Republic,after that a Lagos high court declared his government illegal.

The Late business tycoon also battled with disloyalty among his cabinet as some ministers are not standing to honour him when he enter the council chamber to preside over meetings.

People like Chief MKO Abiola who won the June 12 election and members of NADECO started to agitate for military take over.

The political atmosphere become hazy and on the night of 17 November ,83 days after the assumption of Late Chief Ernest Shonekan as Head of interim National government,the secretary of Defense General Sani Abacha accompanied by Lt.Gen. Aliyu Muhammad Gusau,Lt.Gen Oladipo Diya and others stormed the presidential villa in Abuja.

They condoned the seat of power with battle ready armoured tanks,they were welcomed by Chief Ernest Shonekan to the President’s office,they sat together with Late Chief Shonekan, they reviewed the country’s political situation from the day Shonekan was appointed Head of state and to the day they entered his office.

General Sani Abacha and his colleagues demanded that the Head of the interim National government Chief Ernest Shonekan should resign .

Without hesitation chief Shonekan resigned as Head of the interim National government on November 17 1993 and General Sani Abacha and his fellow coupist offer to take Shonekan to his home town by air which he refused.

Late Chief Ernest Shonekan left for Abeokuta by road on that night and retired to his home peacefully without resisting the offer of resignation by the military led by General Sani Abacha.

News

President Tinubu Announces Buhari’s Passing ,Directs VP To UK To Accompany Body Back Home

Published

6 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Nigerian Tracker

President Tinubu announces President Buhari’s passing, directs VP Shettima to the UK to accompany body back home

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the passing of his predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari died today in London at about 4.30 pm, following a prolonged illness.

President Tinubu has spoken with Mrs Aishat Buhari, the former President’s widow and offered his deep condolences.

President Tinubu has also directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to proceed to the United Kingdom to accompany President Muhammadu Buhari’s body back to Nigeria.

Former President Buhari was twice elected Nigeria’s President in 2015 and 2023.

He also served as military head of state between January 1984 and August 1985.

President Tinubu has ordered flags at half-staff as a mark of respect for the departed leader.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President,
Information and Strategy
Sunday, July 13, 2025

News

Breaking:Former President Muhammadu Buhari Is Dead

Published

6 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Nigerian Tracker

Late Former President Muhammadu Buhari

The immediate past President of Nigeria Muhammad Buhari is dead .

According to his former media aid Bashir Ahmad posted on his Facebook page that Baba is dead.

In another statement by former senior special assistant to Buhari on media Garba Shehu made the following statement in his X handle as follows

“INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHIR RAJI’UN.

The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London.

May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.”

Signed,
Garba Shehu
13-07-25.

News

ADC urges Tinubu to disclose his whereabouts for five days after BRICS summit

Published

9 hours ago

July 13, 2025

Nigerian Tracker

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to tell Nigerians where he has been for five days since the end of the BRICS Summit in Brazil according to the gazette.

The president, who returned in the early hours of Sunday, had been missing from public view since the end of the Summit in Brazil without any official explanation as to his whereabouts.

The full statement read:

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) extends a weary welcome to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for finally returning to the country five days after the end of the 2025 BRICS Summit, which held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Since the summit ended on Monday, July 7th, all the other world leaders who were in attendance returned home, briefed their citizens, and got back to work. But our President? He only reappeared in Abuja in the early hours of Sunday, July 13, without a word, without a briefing, or any explanation as to why his return to the country had been delayed.

A whole five days is significant in the life of a country, especially a country like ours battling with several existential challenges of insecurity and a tottering economy that has made life increasingly difficult for the majority of Nigerians. The president was not on holidays, he was on official duty. We therefore cannot wish those five days away, and we demand a clear explanation for them.

The ADC also notes with concern that this disdain for accountability around the President’s overseas trip has become a distinct hallmark of this administration.

In January 2024, a so-called “private visit” to France turned into a two-week disappearance. No photos, and no statements from our President.

In April 2024, President Tinubu travelled to the Netherlands and then to Riyadh for the World Economic Forum. The summit ended on April 29th, 2024, but there was not a word from him until May 8th, 2024. Those were nine days of unexplained vacuum.

In August 2024, President Tinubu flew to China via Dubai. After his engagements in Beijing, he vanished from public view on September 5th and mysteriously surfaced in London on September 11th. He was missing for six days—no explanations, no letter transmitted to the National Assembly, just silence.

And in the same August 2024, the President also embarked on yet another “brief work stay” in Paris. He remained incommunicado for three days, then quietly returned, as if the nation does not deserve to know.

Each episode of Mr. President’s mysterious disappearances has sparked all manners of speculations and rumours that are not only unhealthy to the polity, but also endangers Nigeria’s perception in the eyes of the world.

We urge Nigerians to take note. A president that disappears without explanation cannot be trusted to be present to solve the crises that we face. A president that vanishes without accountability has no moral authority to demand sacrifice from citizens. Most importantly, a ruling party that makes excuses for these serial disappearances has nothing but contempt for the people it governs and has no regard for accountability.

Signed:

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi

Interim National Publicity Secretary

African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Spokesman of the Coalition.