In August 1965, a group of Army majors (Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Timothy Onwuatuegwu, Chris Anuforo, Don Okafor, Humphrey Chukwuka, and Adewale Ademoyega) began plotting a coup d'état against incumbent Prime Minister Abubakar Balewa. 

The president of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe left the country in late 1965, first for Europe, then on a cruise to the Caribbean. Under the law, the Senate president, Nwafor Orizu, became acting president during his absence and assumed all the powers of the office.

Acting President Nwafor Orizu made a nationwide broadcast after he had briefed President Nnamdi Azikiwe on the phone about the decision of the cabinet ministers (It is important to note that Nigeria was practising a Parliamentary System and so the council of ministers or cabinet were responsible for making decisions in such government) announcing the cabinet's "voluntary" decision to transfer power to the armed forces.