The Nigerian constitution is the supreme law of the land, which provides a framework for the conduct of the government and its officials. One of the most crucial and significant provisions of the Nigerian constitution is the procedure for the inauguration of a president-elect.
However, what happens if a president-elect dies before he is sworn in? According to the Nigerian constitution, the provisions in Section 146(1) states that the Vice President shall hold the office of the President.
The office of the president-elect can become vacant for reasons such as death, resignation, impeachment, permanent ineptitude, or being removed from office. It can also happen for other reasons in Sections 143 or 144 of this Constitution.
The above provision implies that if the president-elect dies before he is sworn in, the vice president-elect will automatically become the president-elect. In other words, the vice president-elect will be inaugurated as the president of Nigeria.
However, it is pertinent to note that this is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions as stated in the constitution.
The constitution requires that the vice president-elect must meet the eligibility requirements for the office of the president. The constitution specifies what makes a person eligible for the office of the president.
The vice president-elect must also take an oath of office before assuming the position of president-elect. The oath of office is a legal requirement that the president-elect must fulfill before he can assume office.
The constitution mandates that the vice president-elect must assume office as president-elect within a specific period. The president-elect shall be nominated with the approval of each house of the National Assembly.
He will then appoint a new vice president within a specific period. At this point, the new president-elect must act swiftly in nominating and appointing a new vice president-elect to ensure the continuity of the government’s affairs.
Temmyabbe (
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