•From Daura to Aso Rock – A soldier, leader, and two-term president
•Travels – Visited 40 countries
•Who inherits his 10m northern votes -The scramble for Buhari’s political legacy begins
•How his death will shape 2027campaigns- Realignments and the battle for the North)
•His Health Battle – Spent 225 days on medical trips
Many consider the Late Muhammadu Buhari one of the most influential and polarising figures in Nigeria’s political history.
Interestingly, the late former President will not be forgotten by Nigerians in a hurry due to his policies while in office and what he represented.
Known for his austere personal lifestyle, anti-corruption crusade, and strongman image, Buhari’s leadership spanned pivotal moments in Nigeria’s post-independence development.
His legacy is marked by both unwavering support and fierce criticism, and his impacts continue to shape the political landscape of Africa’s most populous nation.
EARLY LIFE
The former President was born into a Fulani family in Daura, Katsina State, on December 17, 1942.
The 23rd child of his father, Buhari, lost his father at a young age and was raised by his mother.
He attended Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College, Katsina).
MILITARY CAREER
He later joined the Nigerian Military Training College in 1962. Buhari furthered his training at the Mons Officer Cadet School in the United Kingdom and the United States Army War College.
Rising through the ranks during the post-independence military era, Buhari served in various capacities, including as Military Governor of the now-defunct North-Eastern State in 1975, and later as Federal Commissioner (Minister) for Petroleum and Natural Resources under General Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime.
MILITARY HEAD OF STATE
On December 31, 1983, Buhari seized power through a military coup that ousted President Shehu Shagari, citing widespread corruption and economic mismanagement.
His military government launched a crusade against indiscipline, encapsulated in the controversial War Against Indiscipline (WAI) programme.
He also introduced policies to curb corruption, promote national ethics, and instil social order.
However, Buhari’s regime was also widely criticised for human rights abuses, including the detention of politicians without trial, press censorship, and the infamous Decree No. 4, which criminalised reporting deemed embarrassing to the government.
His administration was eventually overthrown in August 1985 by General Ibrahim Babangida.
Following his ouster, Buhari faded from public life, reemerging in the late 1990s as a public advocate for discipline and accountability.
He served briefly as Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, under the late General Sani Abacha, overseeing projects funded from excess oil revenues.
FORAY INTO POLITICS
In 2003, Buhari entered politics, running for president on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform but losing to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He did not relent in his quest for the presidency. He contested again in 2007 and 2011, both unsuccessfully, amid allegations of electoral malpractice.
In 2013, Buhari co-founded the All Progressives Congress, APC, a coalition of opposition parties formed to challenge the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) dominance.
EMERGENCE AS CIVILIAN PRESIDENT
After years of opposition activism and widespread dissatisfaction with President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Buhari won the 2015 election, becoming the first Nigerian to defeat an incumbent president through the ballot box.
Following his re-election in 2019, Buhari promised to fight corruption, crush Boko Haram insurgents, and revive Nigeria’s faltering economy. However, his tenure was met with mixed results.
In 2020, his administration descended on #EndSARS protesters, while his government’s decision to suspend Twitter in 2021 following the deletion of one of his tweets was condemned globally.
HIS HEATH BATTLE – Spent 225 days on medical trips
Buhari spent at least 225 days away from the country during his presidency on medical trips.
On February 5, 2016, eight months after assuming office, the former President took his first medical trip to London, spending six days.
Four months later, he went on his second medical trip and spent 10 days treating an undisclosed ear infection before returning to Nigeria on June 19, 2016.
Furthermore, on January 19, 2017, the late President embarked on his second-longest medical trip.
Though the medical holiday was due to commence on January 23, 2017, he left Abuja the same day.
He returned to Abuja on March 10, 2017, spending 50 days away.
Two months after his March trip, he departed for London on his most extended medical pilgrimage, which lasted 104 days.
Again, in March 2021, the former President departed for London for 15 days.
On March 6, 2022, he went to London for a 12-day medical trip.
However, the frequent medical trips drew angry reactions from Nigerians, who faulted them.
They argued why he frequently visited hospitals in London when his administration earmarked at least N33.3bn for the State House medical infrastructure in his tenure.
The President’s spokesman had defended the medical trips abroad, saying he “has used the same medical team for about 40 years.”
Who inherits his 10m northern votes – The scramble for Buhari’s political legacy begins
To his supporters, Buhari remains a symbol of integrity and national pride.
To his critics, he is considered a leader who failed to modernise governance or unify a deeply fragmented nation.
Political pundits opine that the late Buhari had strong cult followers of close to 12 million voters who supported him during elections.
With his death, tongues are wagging over who will inherit his cult followers.
His lieutenants, including former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), may find stepping into Buhari’s shoes challenging.
As the battle for the 2027 general elections gathers momentum, the quest for the soul of the North, a region where Buhari was the undisputed claimant of the votes, is certain to throw up tantalising scenarios.
What will this vacuum do to the quest for re-election bid of incumbent President Tinubu?
Who is likely to lay claim as the Major Domo in the politics of the North?
What is certain is that political realignment would crystallise in ways that are bound to have reverberating effects in the build up to the 2027 general elections.
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