There are growing concerns over calls for an interim government beginning on May 29, even though the Nigerian 1999 Constitution does not recognise an ad hoc administration, writes Leke Baiyewu. The alleged plot to have outgoing President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) hand power to an interim government is generating noise across various sectors in Nigeria. The plan, according to reports, aims to prevent Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate declared winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from being sworn in after Buhari’s two‑term, eight‑year tenure ends.
INEC announced that Tinubu won with 8,794,726 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, received 6,984,520 votes; Labour Party candidate Peter Obi garnered 6,101,533 votes, and New Nigeria Peoples Party candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso polled 1,496,687 votes. Dissatisfied with the results and blaming alleged flaws in the electoral process, the PDP, the Labour Party and their candidates are challenging Tinubu’s victory at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal. While the courts address the dispute over the president‑elect, reports of an interim‑government scheme have dominated national discourse. Some candidates and supporters have protested against Buhari to block the transfer of power to Tinubu, a move condemned by both the APC and the PDP.
The interim‑government scare echoes the 1993 crisis, when military dictator General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the June 12 election—won by MKO Abiola—and installed an Interim National Government (ING) led by Ernest Shonekan, which was toppled 83 days later by General Sani Abacha. Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, electing Olusegun Obasanjo, a former general accused of seeking a third term. Since then, the country has endured 24 years of interrupted democracy, prompting fears that an interim government could truncate the democratic process.
As early as 3 February 2023, three weeks before the election, Tinubu told a rally in Ado‑Ekiti that those behind the naira and fuel crises wanted to create conditions for postponing the election and installing an interim government. He warned, “They are hoarding naira so that you can be angry and fight… What they want is an interim government, but we are wiser than them.” Governor Nasir el‑Rufai of Kaduna State echoed this claim on 16 February, alleging that a currency redesign was devised to deprive the APC of a “humongous war chest,” create cash shortages, and provoke nationwide unrest that would force an interim government led by a retired army general.
The rumor gained credibility when the Department of State Services (DSS) announced on 29 March 2023 that it had identified unnamed key players planning an interim government. In a statement, spokesperson Peter Afunanya described the plot as an “aberration” and a “mischievous way to set aside the constitution,” warning that planners considered sponsoring violent protests and obtaining frivolous court injunctions to block the inauguration of new executive and legislative bodies. Critics, however, demanded that the DSS name the alleged plotters, arguing that the agency should not raise alarms without fulfilling its statutory mandate.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), representing the 36 state governors, condemned the alleged scheme. NGF Chairman and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal said the forum had deliberated extensively on the plot and condemned any unconstitutional regime change, urging the DSS to arrest and prosecute those involved. The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), a body of APC governors, issued a similar statement. PGF Chairman and Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu praised the DSS for exposing the plot and called for the arrest and prosecution of anyone involved, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant against undemocratic actions.
Former PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Diran Odeyemi also criticised the DSS, calling the claim “suspicious” and noting the lack of arrests or concrete investigations a week after the statement. He warned that politicians should respect democratic processes and not resort to an interim arrangement, urging the DSS to provide evidence of any arrests.
Prominent legal figures, including former Nigerian Bar Association presidents Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), warned against the interim government. On Thursday, the Defence Headquarters, through Director of Defence Media Operations Major‑General Musa Danmadami, condemned the clamor for an interim government as illegal and unconstitutional.
Senator Dayo Adeyeye, National Chairman of the South West Agenda for Tinubu 2023, told The [publication] that an interim government has no legal basis and that politicians are responsible for the election disputes. He praised INEC and its chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for a commendable election, urging politicians to sign agreements to respect electoral outcomes. Adeyeye called for a future conference where all politicians commit to accepting results and refraining from manipulation, emphasizing that any violence or ballot‑box destruction was caused by politicians, not INEC.
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