Muhammadu Buhari

Muhammadu Buhari (born December 17, 1942) was a military ruler of Nigeria (December 31st,1983 - August 27th, 1985) and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the May 29th, 2003 Presidential Elections. He ethnic background is Fulani and his religious beliefs is Islam, his family is from Katsina State.

Related Topics:
December 17 - 1942 - Nigeria - December 31st - 1983 - August 27th - 1985 - May 29th - 2003 - Fulani - Islam - Katsina State

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buhari and Chief of staff General Tunde Idiagbon were selected to lead the country by middle and high ranking military officers after a successful military coup d'etat that overthrew civilian President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983. Buhari justified the military's seizure of power by castigating the civilian government as hopelessly corrupt, and his administration subsequently initiated a public campaign against indiscipline known as "War Against Indiscipline" (WAI). Despite authoritarian tendencies, the campaign is still lauded as many to have instilled the most orderly conduct of public and private affairs in Nigeria since its independence in 1960.

Related Topics:
Tunde Idiagbon - Coup d'etat - President - Shehu Shagari - December 31 - 1983

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buhari and Idiagbon's administration was initially popular with the majority of Nigerians. However, this support quickly ebbed away as Buhari resorted to ever more severe methods to stifle criticism of his government, including the issuing of the State Security (Detention of Persons) Decree No. 2, which gave the government the right to detain indefinitely without trial any persons it regarded as being a threat to the nation, and the Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree No. 4, which essentially criminalized any criticism of government officials in the press. Buhari was himself overthrown in a coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida on August 27, 1985 and other members of the ruling Supreme Military Council (SMC).

Related Topics:
Ibrahim Babangida - August 27 - 1985

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2003, Buhari contested the Presidential election as the candidate of the All Nigeria People's Party. He was defeated by the incumbent President, Olusegun Obasanjo, by a margin of more than eleven million votes. Although there were allegations of fraud, the general consensus among Commonwealth observers was that the result was so decisive that fraud, on either side, would not have substantially affected it.

Related Topics:
Presidential election - All Nigeria People's Party - Olusegun Obasanjo - Commonwealth

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~