Nigerian Third Republic
Encyclopedia
The Third Republic was the planned republican
government of Nigeria
in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.
(IBB), the military Head of State
, promised to terminate military rule by 1990 – a date which was subsequently pushed back to 1993. IBB lifted the ban on political activity in the spring of 1989, and his government established two political parties: the center-right National Republican Convention
(NRC) and the center-left Social Democratic Party
(SDP). Gubernatorial and state legislative elections were conducted in December 1991, while the presidential election was postponed till 12 June 1993 – due to political unrest. MKO Abiola
, a wealthy Yoruba
businessman, won a decisive victory in the presidential elections on the SDP platform.
, a Yoruba
business man, and the head of IBB’s transition team, assumed the office of the presidency as the Head of the Interim National Government
. Shonekan was unable to manage the political turmoil which ensued in the post IBB months. His caretaker government was quietly removed from office, by the Minister of Defence
, General Sani Abacha
on 17 November 1993. On 11 June 1994, president-elect Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
, declared himself president and went into hiding. The Abacha administration hunted Abiola down and arrested him for treason
. Abiola remained in prison until his death in 1998.
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
government of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.
Founding (1993)
The constitution of the Third Republic was drafted in 1989, when General Ibrahim Badamasi BabangidaIbrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
(IBB), the military Head of State
President of Nigeria
The President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
, promised to terminate military rule by 1990 – a date which was subsequently pushed back to 1993. IBB lifted the ban on political activity in the spring of 1989, and his government established two political parties: the center-right National Republican Convention
National Republican Convention
The National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.-Alignment:...
(NRC) and the center-left Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP, was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a...
(SDP). Gubernatorial and state legislative elections were conducted in December 1991, while the presidential election was postponed till 12 June 1993 – due to political unrest. MKO Abiola
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola , often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, was a popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Egba clan...
, a wealthy Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
businessman, won a decisive victory in the presidential elections on the SDP platform.
Presidents-elect
| President-Elect | Elected | Party |
|---|---|---|
| MKO Abiola Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola , often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, was a popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Egba clan... |
June 12, 1993 | SDP Social Democratic Party (Nigeria) The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP, was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a... |
Political parties
- National Republican ConventionNational Republican ConventionThe National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.-Alignment:...
(NRC) - Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party (Nigeria)The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP, was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a...
(SDP)
Annulment
On 23 June 1993, IBB had the election annulled, and this threw the country into chaos. IBB eventually bowed to pressures from his inner circle and resigned from office on 23 August 1993. Ernest ShonekanErnest Shonekan
Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan is a British trained Nigerian lawyer, industrialist, politician and traditional chieftain. He was appointed as interim president of Nigeria by General Ibrahim Babangida on 26 August 1993. Babangida resigned under pressure to cede control to a democratic government...
, a Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
business man, and the head of IBB’s transition team, assumed the office of the presidency as the Head of the Interim National Government
President of Nigeria
The President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
. Shonekan was unable to manage the political turmoil which ensued in the post IBB months. His caretaker government was quietly removed from office, by the Minister of Defence
Defence Minister of Nigeria
The Minister of Defence of Nigeria is a senior cabinet official in the Nigerian Federal Executive Council in charge of the Nigerian Ministry of Defence...
, General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
on 17 November 1993. On 11 June 1994, president-elect Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola , often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, was a popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Egba clan...
, declared himself president and went into hiding. The Abacha administration hunted Abiola down and arrested him for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. Abiola remained in prison until his death in 1998.
See also
- Nigerian First RepublicNigerian First RepublicThe First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.-Founding :...
(1963 - 1966) - Nigerian Second RepublicNigerian Second RepublicThe Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
(1979 - 1983) - Nigerian Fourth RepublicNigerian Fourth RepublicThe Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
(1999 - present)