List: Nigeria presidents and military rulers since independence

Jonathan5

Former President Goodluck Jonathan

Nigeria elects a new president on Saturday. Here is a list of former heads of state and military rulers since independence from Britain in 1960:

Queen Elizabeth II was head of state from October 1, 1960 to the same date in 1963 and ruled with a governor-general and prime minister until a republic was declared in 1963.

First Republic (1963-1966)

Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Azikiwe

Nnamdi AZIKIWE (president, ceremonial; prime minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa): Oct 1, 1963 to Jan 16, 1966 (overthrown).

Military rule (1966-1979)

General Johnson Thomas AGUIYI-IRONSI: Jan 16, 1966 to Jul 29, 1966 (overthrown).

General Yakubu GOWON: Jul 29, 1966 to Jul 29, 1975 (overthrown).

General Murtala MOHAMMED: Jul 29, 1975 to Feb 13, 1976 (assassinated).

General Olusegun OBASANJO: Feb 13, 1976 to Oct 1, 1979 (resigned).

Shehu Shagari
Shehu Shagari

Second republic (1979-1983)

Shehu SHAGARI: Oct 1, 1979 to Dec 31, 1983 (overthrown).

Military rule (1983-1993)

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General Muhammadu Buhari  Image by © William Campbell/Sygma/Corbis
General Muhammadu Buhari
Image by © William Campbell/Sygma/Corbis

General Muhammadu BUHARI: Dec 31, 1983 to Aug 27, 1985 (overthrown).

General Ibrahim BABANGIDA: Aug 27, 1985 to Aug 26, 1993 (resigned).

Third republic (1993)

Ernest SHONEKAN: Aug 26, 1993 to Nov 17, 1993 (overthrown).

Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha

Military rule (1993-1999)

General Sani ABACHA: Nov 17, 1993 to Jun 8, 1998 (died in office).

General Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR: Jun 8, 1998 to May 29, 1999 (resigned).

Fourth republic (1999-present)

President Goodluck Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan

Olusegun OBASANJO: May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007.

Umaru Musa YAR’ADUA: May 29, 2007 to May 5, 2010 (died in office).

Goodluck JONATHAN: May 5, 2010 to date.

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