27/08/2025
What Shonekan did with Abiola immediately after his appointment
Immediately Ernest Shonekan was appointed as the head of the Interim National Government (ING) of Nigeria, he appointed Moshood Abiola, same winner of the June 12 presidential election, as his vice-president.
He also appointed General Sani Abacha as the secretary of defence in the cabinet. When Abiola rejected the offer, Abacha was elevated as the vice chairman of the Interim National Government.
Because of the wide-held rejection, of the ING, inflation began to rise and industrial actions among workers increased. Most foreign investors withdrew. Only the oil companies stayed back.
On his part, Shonekan made many efforts including pushing for Nigerian government debt forgiveness.
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 (NNPC) and tried to restore civil liberties.
He also removed 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.
No clear process was given for holding fresh elections, and there was general political uncertainty under the Shonekan government. The media and civil society organisations were seriously against the ING for its delay in returning to democracy and the continued involvement of the military in politics.
Then, a Lagos high court nullified Shonekan's appointment and called for Abiola to be given his mandate as the elected candidate for the presidency. The government lasted only two months and some weeks before General Sani Abacha took over.
