“Nigerians were impatient with Buhari’s government” – Gen Abdulsalami
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retired), has said Nigeria could have achieved far more if citizens had shown greater patience with the military government of the late General Muhammadu Buhari.
Abubakar made the remarks in Chapter 10 of his autobiography, Call of Duty: My Autobiography, titled “One Coup after the Other.”
According to him, a stronger social order would have been established if Buhari and his second in command, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon, had been allowed to remain in power beyond their 20-month tenure.
The retired general reviewed key military interventions in Nigeria’s history and the increasing politicisation of the armed forces.
While acknowledging the excesses of the Buhari regime, he noted that many Nigerians had already grown disillusioned with the civilian government it had overthrown in 1983.
“We all have our opinions, but I believe the Buhari/Idiagbon government brought a lot of sanity to the country.
“They were both disciplined men who tried to bring about law and order and promote patriotism among Nigerians,” Abdulsalami wrote.
He, however, admitted the regime’s shortcomings, “Truly, the Buhari regime had its excesses. Nevertheless, Nigerians were impatient with the government. They felt it was too harsh. They didn’t like the way politicians were jailed — some given up to 500 years imprisonment. Human rights activists were detained without trial. The media were under censorship.”
Despite these issues, Abdulsalami maintained that the government was on the right path before it was toppled in a palace coup on August 27, 1985.
“If the Buhari regime had stayed longer, I have a feeling Nigeria may not be where it is today. Perhaps, there would have been at least some law and order in the country,” he added.
Abdulsalami also disclosed that, contrary to widespread speculation at the time, he had no prior knowledge of the 1985 coup that removed Buhari and installed his longtime friend and colleague, General Ibrahim Babangida.
He revealed that many expected him to be part of the plot because of his close relationship with Babangida — the two attended the same primary and secondary schools and served together in the military.
