Image copyright AFP
Nigeria’s former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, SEVENTY TWO, is not a quitter.
Defeated in the closing 3 elections, he completed a ancient victory within the 28 March election, becoming the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent.
Mr Buhari confronted President Goodluck Jonathan, who’s from the southern Niger Delta area, for a second time on the polls.
This time, he had the advantage of being the candidate of a united opposition grouping, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC attracted heavyweight defectors from Mr Jonathan’s People’s Democratic Birthday Party (PDP), which has ruled the political scene for the reason that finish of military rule in 1999.
Symbol copyright AFP Image caption more than 3 million folks have been displaced within the north-east throughout the five-yr Islamist insurgency
This proved a problem for him within the 2003 polls – he didn’t protected so much strengthen among Christians within the south, the place he used to be viewed with a few suspicion.
But having escaped an attack on his convoy in Kaduna in July 2014, which bore all the hallmarks of a Boko Haram assassination strive, he has promised to end the insurgency inside months if elected.
He has blamed President Jonathan’s weakness for its escalation and has refused overtures to participate in talks with the novel militant group.
His tricky stance as an army commander in 1983 – when some Nigerian islands had been annexed in Lake Chad by Chadian infantrymen – remains to be remembered in the north-east, now the militants’ stronghold, after he blockaded the world and drove off the invaders.
‘War In Opposition To Indiscipline’
He dominated Nigeria from January 1984 until August 1985, taking rate after an army coup in December 1983.
It Is a duration remembered for a strict marketing campaign in opposition to indiscipline and corruption, and for its human rights abuses.
Muhammadu Buhari in focal point:
Symbol copyright AFP Symbol caption Gen Buhari has in the end were given a kiss of approval from citizens Age 72 Elected president in 28 March ballot Military ruler of Nigeria from 1984 to 1985 Deposed in a coup Negative human rights report Noticed as incorruptible Disciplinarian – civil servants past due for paintings needed to do frog jumps Muslim from northern Nigeria Survived an apparent Boko Haram assassination try
the verdict on Mr Buhari’s 20 months as army ruler is mixed.
About 500 politicians, officials and businessmen had been jailed as part of a marketing campaign towards waste and corruption.
Image copyright Reuters Image caption The opposition has united this time to back one candidate to problem the PDP within the presidential ballot
He additionally offered a infamous decree to limit press freedom, beneath which two reporters were jailed.
However, his makes an attempt to re-steadiness public finances through curtailing imports resulted in many task losses and the closure of businesses.
As a part of anti-corruption measures, he additionally ordered that the forex get replaced – the color of the naira notes had been modified – forcing all holders of old notes to switch them at banks inside a restricted length.
Prices rose at the same time as residing standards fell, resulting in a palace coup by Gen Ibrahim Babangida on 27 August 1985. Mr Buhari was once imprisoned for FORTY months.
Mr Babangida desired to speed up the restoration of civilian rule, which Mr Buhari didn’t see as a priority.
‘Up to the people’
Mr Buhari has persevered to defend his coup of 31 December 1983.
“It Is as much as the folks. when you make a selection right kind management, there won’t be any need for the army regime.
“the army came in while it was completely vital and the elected people had failed the rustic,” he mentioned in October 2005.
When former President Olusegun Obasanjo used to be a military ruler within the nineteen seventies, Mr Buhari held the important thing submit of minister of petroleum affairs.
But the connection among the previous colleagues cooled as Mr Buhari’s coup ousted a civilian govt, led through Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who won elections organised via Mr Obasanjo.
This resulted in continuing questions about Mr Buhari’s dedication to democracy.
Relations among the 2 former generals would possibly now thaw following what turns out to be an endorsement for Mr Buhari from Mr Obasanjo in his not too long ago launched autobiography.
Mr Buhari “wouldn’t be a good economic manager”, wrote the politician who gained two presidential elections for the PDP after 1999, however “can be a strong, almost rigid, and a courageous and firm leader”.
