In July 2000, at a public book launching ceremony in Nigeria, Chief Richard Akinjide stated: “Talking on the 1966 first coup, when Balewa got missing, we knew Okotie-Eboh had been held, we knew Akintola had been killed.

In July 2000, at a public book launching ceremony in Nigeria, Chief Richard Akinjide stated:
“Talking on the 1966 first coup, when Balewa got missing, we knew Okotie-Eboh had been held, we knew Akintola had been killed.

We, the members of the Balewa cabinet started meeting. But how can you have a cabinet meeting without the Prime Minister acting or Prime Minister presiding. So, unanimously, we nominated acting Prime Minister amongst us.

Then we continued holding our meetings.

Then we got a message that we should all assemble at the Cabinet office. All the Ministers were requested by the G.O.C. of the Nigerian Army, General Ironsi to assemble.

What was amazing at that time was that Ironsi was going all over Lagos unarmed.

We assembled there. Having nominated ZANA Diphcharima as our acting Prime Minister in the absence of the Prime Minister, whose whereabout we didn’t know, we approached the acting President, Nwafor Orizu to swear him in because he cannot legitimately act as the Prime Minister except he is sworn- in. Nwafor Orizu refused. He said he needed to contact Zik who was then in West Indies.
Under the law, that is, the Interpretation Act, as acting President, Nwazor Orizu had all the powers of the President. The GOC said he wanted to see all the cabinet ministers. And so we assembled at the cabinet office. Well, I have read in many books saying that we handed over to the military. We did not hand-over. Ironsi told us that “you either hand over as gentlemen or you hand-over by force”. Those were his words.

Is that voluntary hand-over? So we did not hand-over. We wanted an Acting Prime Minister to be in place but Ironsi forced us, and I use the word force advisedly, to handover to him. He was controlling the soldiers.

The acting President, Nwafor Orizu, who did not cooperate with us, cooperated with the GOC. Dr. Orizu and the GOC prepared speeches which Nwafor Orizu broadcast handing over the government of the country to the army.

I here state again categorically as a member of that cabinet that we did not hand-over voluntarily.
“IT WAS IGBO COUP””
Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Corroborated Chief Akinjide’s account, in his Book “Beckoned to Serve”,