Governance
Hand over to civilian rule
Between 1966 and 1999, every military government in Nigeria promised, at some point, to hand power back to an elected civilian government. Three delivered a genuine, on-schedule handover. Three did not — including one annulled election and one self-succession plan that ended only with the ruler's death in office.
- Return the country to civilian rule by 1976
On 1 October 1974 he announced the 1976 date was 'unrealistic' and postponed the return to civilian rule indefinitely. The broken promise, together with drift and corruption, was a principal reason cited for the coup that removed him ten months later.
Wikipedia — Yakubu Gowon · updated 1974 - Set a firm timetable back to civilian rule (by 1979)
Murtala did not live to complete it, but the timetable he set was followed to the day by his successor Obasanjo — the handover to Shehu Shagari took place on 1 October 1979, exactly as scheduled.
Wikipedia — Murtala Mohammed · updated 1979 - Hand over to an elected civilian government on 1 October 1979
Delivered exactly. A draft constitution was published in October 1976, debated by a Constituent Assembly from 1977, and promulgated with amendments in 1978; the ban on parties was lifted; elections were held in July–August 1979; and on 1 October 1979 Obasanjo handed power to Shehu Shagari — the first military-to-civilian handover in Nigeria's history.
Wikipedia — 1979 Nigerian presidential election · updated October 1979 - Hand over to an elected civilian government
The transition ran for seven years and ended in its own destruction: after the 12 June 1993 presidential election was held, Babangida annulled it, then 'stepped aside' on 26 August 1993, installing an unelected Interim National Government rather than an elected president.
Wikipedia — Ibrahim Babangida · updated 1993 - Return Nigeria to civilian rule on a fixed timetable
The programme was a vehicle for self-perpetuation. By April 1998 all five registered political parties had been coerced into adopting Abacha as their sole presidential candidate. No handover occurred; the transition ended only with his death in June 1998.
Wikipedia — Sani Abacha · updated 1998 - Hand over to an elected civilian government within a year
He delivered. A new Independent National Electoral Commission was set up under Ephraim Akpata; local, state, National Assembly and presidential elections ran between December 1998 and 27 February 1999; and power passed to Olusegun Obasanjo on 29 May 1999 — the shortest and most credible military-to-civilian handover in Nigeria's history.
Wikipedia — Abdulsalami Abubakar · updated May 1999
Each entry is one rated promise — follow it to that administration’s full scorecard. Ratings use the four verdicts defined in the methodology.