NGScorecard

Obasanjo took over on 13 February 1976, hours after Murtala Mohammed was killed in the failed Dimka coup, with the 1979 handover, the new constitution, the 19-state structure and the Abuja move all mid-course.

He carried all of them through — most importantly the handover — establishing the reputation for returning Nigeria to civilian rule that anchored his standing for the next two decades.