Author : Congressional Research Service: The Libr
Publisher : BiblioGov
Page : 22 pages
File Size : 47,12 MB
Release : 2013-11
Category :
ISBN : 9781293249581
Book Description
On June 8, 1998, General Sani Abacha, the military leader who took power in Nigeria in 1993, died of a reported heart attack and was replaced by General Abdulsalam Abubakar. On July 7, 1998, Moshood Abiola, the believed winner of the 1993 presidential election, also died of a heart attack during a meeting with U.S. officials. General Abubakar released political prisoners and initiated political, economic, and social reforms. He also established a new independent electoral commission and outlined a schedule for elections and transition to civilian rule, pledging to hand over power to an elected civilian government by May 1999. In late February 1999, former military leader General Olusegun Obasanjo was elected president and was sworn in on May 29, 1999. Obasanjo won 62.8% of the votes (18.7 million), while his challenger, Chief Olu Falae received 37.2% of the votes (11.1 million). In the Senate elections, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) won 58% of the votes, the All People's Party (APP) 23%, and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) 19%. In the elections for the House of Representatives, PDP received 59% of the votes, AD 22%, and APP 20%. In mid-April 2003, President Obasanjo was re-elected to a second term, and ...