In the history of Nigeria military rule cannot be excluded and looking at this era of military government which is characterized by coup d'etat in ascending the position and were led by high ranking officers of the army. Some of these officers that were not killed during coup did not venture into politics even when we are in democratic government.
Some later ventured into civilian politics with majority of people in this category not being full politician as such. Among all these former military head of state are two men that did not only become full civilian politicians but even become President of the country.
One of this two men is President Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo, he was born in the year 1937 in Abeokuta. He joined the military in 1958 and after for sometimes in Nigeria he went to Royal college of Defense and after his return in 1975, he was appointed by General Yakubu Gowon the then Head of Stateas the commissioner of Works and Housing. He later become Second in Command to General Muritala Mohammed. Following the assassination of Muritala, he became the Head of State from 1976- 1979.
Twenty years after being the Head of State he was elected as the President of Nigeria under the platform of People Democratic Party. And he ruled for two tenures (8 years) from 1999 to 2007. He was even alleged planning to go for third term but the plan was thwarted by some senate's member.
Since his exit from office he has prominent for monitoring the actions of succeeding President and is notorious for writing open letters to air his views and discontentments.
The second man is the current President of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari. He is a General and was a Head of State during the military rule.
PMB as he is fondly called was born in 1942. Before he became Head of State, he worked under preceding Head of State like Muritala, Obasanjo as Governor of North East and Chairman of NNPC respectively. He became Head of State in 1983 after a coup against the first civilian president Shehu Shagari appointed by his boss, General Obasanjo. He held this position from 1983 -1985. He was later removed from office by the General Ibrahim Babangida coup and detained till 1988.
He started his civilian presidential's ambition in 2003, later in 2007 and 2011 which he lost in all. In 2015, he contested under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) now All Progressive Congress (APC). He is still the President of Nigeria now, after he was re -elected in 2019.
These two individuals were once in khaki bu t later hung the khaki to put on flowing regalia in civil world of politics.
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