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After gaining independence in 1960 from Great Britain, Nigeria fell prey to civil war and the first of many military coups in 1966. Democracy was briefly restored from 1979 to 1983, but for most of its independent history, Nigeria was ruled by a series of military juntas. The last major military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha, died in office in 1998. His successor, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar promised a transition to democracy, and accordingly a new constitution was adopted on May 5th, 1999.
May 29 of every year commemorates the restoration of democracy in Nigeria, when the newly elected leader, Olusegun Obasanjo took office as the President of Nigeria in May 1999 ending multiple decades of military rule that began in 1966 and had been interrupted only by a brief period of democracy from 1979 to 1983.
The end of military rule brought about a new era of regular elections as well as the return of civil liberties, free press and an end to arbitrary arrests and torture.
TheNewsGuru.com brings you a list of Nigerian leaders (living and dead) from 1960 t0 date.
Nigeria’s Presidents / Heads of States and their Vice from 1960 – Present
S/N PERIOD PRESIDENTS / HEADS OF STATE
1. 1st Oct. 1960 – 1st Oct. 1963: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (Governor General)
Sir. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; (Prime Minister)
1st Oct. 1963 – 16th Jan.1966: Dr. NnamdiAzikiwe (President)
Sir. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; (Prime Minister)
2. 16th Jan. 1966 – 29th July 1966: Gen J.T.U Aguyi Ironsi (Military Head of State)
Brig. Babafemi Ogundipe (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)
3. 1st Aug. – 29th July 1975: Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Military Head of State)
Vice Admiral Joseph Edet AkinwaleWey (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)
4. 29th July 1975 – 13th Feb. 1976: Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed (Military Head of State)
Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)
5. 13th Feb. 1976 – 1st Oct. 1979: Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (Military Head of State)
Maj. Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)
6. 1st Oct. 1979 – 31st Dec. 1983: Alhaji Shehu Shagari (President)
Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekweme (Vice President)
7. 31st Dec. 1983 – 27th Aug. 1985 Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Military Head of State)
Brig. Babatunde Idiagbon (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)
8. 27th Aug. 1985 – 26th Aug. 1993 Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Military President)
Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (Chief of General Staff;1985 -1986),
Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (Chief of General Staff;1986-1993)
9. 26th Aug. – 17th Nov. 1993: Ernest Shonekan (Head of Interim National Government)
10. 17th Nov. 1993 – 8th June 1998: Gen. Sani Abacha (Military Head of State)
Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (Chief of General Staff)
11. 8th June 1998 – 29th May 1999: Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Military Head of State)
Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe (Chief of General Staff)
12. 29th May 1999 – 29th May 2007: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (President)
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Vice President)
13. 29th May 2007 – 5th May 2010: Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (President)
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Vice President)
14. 9th Feb.2010 – 6th May 2010: Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (Acting President, Acted for Umaru M. Yar’Adua who was indisposed due to ill health)
15. 6th May 2010- 29th May 2011: Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (President)
Arc. Namadi sambo; (Vice President)
16. 29th May 2011 – 28th May 2015 Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (President)
Arc. Namadi sambo (Vice President)
17. 29th May2015 -to date President Muhammdu Buhari
Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo
Happy Democracy Day from all of us at TheNewsGuru.com