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The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.
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The founding of the Second Republic (1979)
Following the assassination of Nigerian military Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed in 1976, his successor General Olusegun Obasanjo initiated the transition process to terminate military rule in 1979. A new constitution was drafted, which saw the Westminster system of government (previously used in the First Republic) jettisoned for an American-style Presidential system. The 1979 constitution mandated that political parties and cabinet positions reflect the "federal character" of the nation — Political parties were required to be registered in at least two-thirds of the states, and each state was required to produce at least one cabinet member.
The widely monitored 1979 election saw the election of Alhaji Shehu Shagari on the NPN platform. On October 1, 1979, Shehu Shagari was sworn in as the first President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Presidents
| President | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Shehu Shagari | October 1, 1979 - December 31, 1983 | NPN |
Political Parties
- Greater Nigerian People's Party (GNPP)
- National Party of Nigeria (NPN)
- Nigeria Advance Party (NAP)
- Nigerian People's Party (NPP)
- People's Redemption Party (PRP)
- Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)
Political activism in the Second Republic
Tai Solarin, an educationist, mounted public podiums regularly, to speak-out in defiance of what he strongly felt were the negative views of the Second Republic government. Another such activist was Ayodele Awojobi, a professor of Mechanical Engineering, who filed several law suits and organised political rallies in protest of the Nigerian election results that ushered in the Second Republic - he strongly believed the results were widely rigged.
Abolition of Second Republic
The Shagari administration was ejected from power on New Year's Eve 1983. General Muhammadu Buhari, the leader of the rebellion, cited charges of corruption and administrative incompetence as reasons for military intervention. President Shagari was placed under house arrest, and several of his cabinet members were either jailed or exiled.
See also
- Nigerian First Republic (1963 - 1966)
- Nigerian Third Republic (1993)
- Nigerian Fourth Republic (1999 - Present)
References
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