Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Head of the Interim National Government that succeeded the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida in 1993, has died.
Shonekan, who was the only Nigerian ever appointed as Head of the Interim National Government from August 26 to November 17, 1993, died at a hospital, in the Lekki area of Lagos state, at the age of 85.
In November 1993, three months into his administration, Shonekan was ousted in a palace coup led by late former Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
In 1994, the Ogun State-born elder statesman founded the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), an advocacy group and think-tank for private sector-led development of the Nigerian economy.
Since then Shonekan went on to feature prominently as an elder statesman. At the time of his death, he was the third oldest surviving Nigerian Head of state by age after Elizabeth II and Yakubu Gowon.
Already, condolences have been pouring in for the late Shonekan with both President Muhammadu Buhari and General Babangida expressing their condolences to his family
