Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has provided fresh insights into Nigeria’s transition from military to civilian rule, revealing that some leaders of the pro-democracy movement privately asked him to extend military rule while he also advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo against contesting the 1999 presidential election.
The disclosures are contained in his autobiography, Call of Duty, unveiled in Abuja as part of activities marking his 84th birthday.
Abdulsalami, who assumed power following the death of Gen. Sani Abacha in June 1998, said he came under pressure from various quarters to delay the handover to an elected government despite his commitment to restoring democracy within a year.
According to him, some members of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), one of the strongest voices against military rule at the time, surprisingly approached him for an extension of the transition programme after becoming convinced that his administration genuinely intended to leave office.
The former military ruler explained that many pro-democracy activists initially doubted his promise to hand over power because of previous failed transition programmes under successive military governments.
However, within months of assuming office, he said some of them realised the transition was real and feared they were politically unprepared to compete in the new democratic order.
“They believed they had not adequately organised themselves politically and wanted additional time to prepare,” Abdulsalami recalled.
He said he rejected the request, insisting that he could not reverse a commitment already made to Nigerians and the international community.
To demonstrate the seriousness of their demand, he challenged the NADECO leaders to publicly endorse the request and formally communicate it to his administration.
According to him, they declined to do so, effectively ending the matter.
Abdulsalami disclosed that he also faced pressure from some military officers, foreign leaders and members of the international community who argued that his administration should remain in office longer because it had succeeded in reducing political tension and restoring stability after the turbulent Abacha years.
Despite the pressure, he maintained that prolonging military rule was never an option.
He said Nigeria was already on the brink politically and socially, making a swift return to democratic governance the only viable path forward.
The former Head of State also defended his decision to discard the transition programme inherited from Abacha, describing it as fundamentally flawed and lacking public credibility.
He noted that the programme had effectively been designed around Abacha’s anticipated emergence as a civilian president, with all five registered political parties endorsing him as their sole candidate.
According to Abdulsalami, retaining such a process would have undermined public confidence and further deepened the political crisis facing the country.
He revealed that his administration initially proposed a six-month transition timetable that would have culminated in the inauguration of a civilian government by March 1999.
However, consultations with the judiciary led to a revision of the schedule.
The former ruler explained that the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, requested sufficient time to resolve election-related litigation before the inauguration of a new government.
That recommendation, he said, eventually led to the adoption of May 29, 1999, as the handover date.
Abdulsalami also recounted how his government ensured the participation of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the transition process.
He disclosed that the party did not initially meet the conditions laid down for registration but that his administration deliberately adjusted the rules to guarantee political inclusion and prevent feelings of marginalisation in the South-West.
According to him, the decision was guided by considerations of national unity and stability rather than strict adherence to administrative procedures.
On the emergence of Obasanjo as president, Abdulsalami rejected long-standing claims that his government orchestrated the former military ruler’s candidacy.
He revealed that shortly after Obasanjo’s release from prison in 1998, the former military leader met him to discuss plans to sue the Federal Government over his incarceration as well as growing calls for him to seek the presidency.
Abdulsalami said he discouraged him from taking legal action, arguing that court proceedings could become prolonged and unpredictable.
Instead, he assured Obasanjo that the government would examine possible ways of addressing the losses he suffered during his imprisonment.
More significantly, he disclosed that he advised Obasanjo not to contest the presidential election at all.
According to him, he urged the former military ruler to return home, rebuild his life and be grateful for surviving a difficult period in detention.
The former Head of State said Obasanjo listened to his advice and promised to reflect on it but never returned to discuss the matter further.
Abdulsalami insisted that neither he nor his administration sponsored Obasanjo’s presidential ambition, stressing that the decision to release and pardon political detainees applied to numerous individuals and was not targeted at facilitating any particular political project.
While acknowledging reports that retired military officers and influential political figures worked behind the scenes to persuade Obasanjo to run, he maintained that those efforts were entirely private and had no connection with his government.
Reflecting on the final phase of the transition, Abdulsalami said he felt no regret or anxiety about relinquishing power.
Rather, he described a sense of fulfilment at having guided the country through a difficult period and delivered on his promise to restore civilian rule.
He recalled personally taking Obasanjo around the Presidential Villa on the morning of the inauguration and introducing him to key officials before formally handing over power.
After the ceremony, he departed Abuja for Minna, his hometown, satisfied that Nigeria had successfully returned to democratic governance after years of military rule.
For Abdulsalami, the transition represented not only the end of military rule but also the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey, one he remains proud to have helped shape.
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