Cabinet of Shehu Shagari
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Cabinet of Shehu Shagari | |
|---|---|
 Cabinet of Nigeria | |
| Date formed | 1 October 1979 |
| Date dissolved | 31 December 1983 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Shehu Shagari |
| Head of government | Shehu Shagari |
| Member party | National Party of Nigeria (NPN) |
| History | |
| Predecessor | Government of General Olusegun Obasanjo |
| Successor | Government of General Muhammadu Buhari |
The Cabinet of Shehu Shagari formed the government of Nigeria during the presidency of Shehu Shagari between 1979 and 1983, after the return to civilian rule with the Second Nigerian Republic. Among the cabinet Ministers are Adamu Ciroma, Bello Maitama Yusuf, Mamman Ali Makele etc. It was terminated by a military coup.[1]
Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo became head of the government after an attempted coup in February 1976. He managed the transition to civilian rule in an election won by the National Party of Nigeria led by Shehu Shagari.[2] Shagari took office on 1 October 1979.[3] He then appointed 61 ministers, of whom 24 were of cabinet rank. The ministers were both Muslim and Christian fairly distributed ethno religious sections of the country [2] Shagari made extensive use of the Cabinet Office, an organisation of leading professional civil servants, where it would have been more typical of a presidential system to rely more on political appointees.[4]
Shagari's government was accused of having immensely powerful ministers in his cabinet.[5] While he worked honestly, he didn't seem to have full grip of dishonest men working alongside him. Although, this view may be as result of the dictatorial military years preceding the second republic[6]
Shehu Shagari's National Party of Nigeria (NPN) won the 1983 general elections. The political parties resorted to violence, arson, vote rigging and other malpractices in the struggle for victory.[7] After the second election, Shagari removed all but seven of the former members of his cabinet, and appointed various respected technocrats such as Emeka Anyaoku in an effort to combat corruption within his cabinet. [6] shagari also introduced a new ministry under Maitama Sule in order to launch his ethical revolution program which had War Against Indiscipline as part of it.[8]
Soon after Shagari began his second term as president on 31 December 1983, the military staged a coup. It was led by Major Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon.[2] The coup was launched two days after Shagari had announced an austerity program, forced due to a fall in the price of oil, which provided 90% of government revenue. Shagari and many cabinet members were arrested and detained without trial.[9]