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Former military
head of state,
General
Abdulsalami
Abubakar says he
will soon open
up on the
allegations
leveled against
him by Major
Hamza Mustapha
during his trial
at a Lagos High
Court.
General Abubakar
who made the
promise when he
paid Sallah
homage to the
acting governor
of Niger state,
Musa Ibeto at
his residence in
Minna said he
was not in a
hurry to react
to Major
Al-Mustapha’s
outbursts.
He explained
that he was
still putting
his facts
together and
that very soon,
his positions on
the allegation,
made by
al-Mustapha will
be made public.
On the incessant
bombing and
unrest in some
parts of the
country, the
Former Military
Head of State
said Nigerians
should learn how
to tolerate each
other and live
in peace because
the bombings and
unrest are an
ill wind that
blows no good.
Abubakar was
sworn in as
president on 9
June 1998 after
the unexpected
death of Abacha.
He declared a
weeklong period
of national
mourning.
A few days after
assuming office,
Abubakar
promised to hold
elections within
a year and
transfer power
to an elected
president. He
established the
Independent
National
Electoral
Commission
appointing
former Supreme
Court Justice
Ephraim Akpata
as chairman.
The INEC held a
series of
elections first
for Local
Government Areas
in December
1998, then for
State Assemblies
and Governors,
National
Assemblies and
finally for the
President on 27
February 1999.
Although efforts
were made to
ensure that the
elections were
free and fair,
there were
widespread
irregularities
that drew
criticism from
foreign
observers.
Abubakar kept
his word and
transferred
power to elected
president
Obasanjo on May
29, 1999. It was
during his
leadership that
Nigeria adopted
its new
constitution on
May 5, 1999,
which went into
effect when
Obasanjo became
president.
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