Muhammadu Buhari | |
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Muhammadu Buhari in 2015
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15th President of Nigeria | |
Assumed office 29 May 2015 |
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Vice President | Yemi Osinbajo |
Preceded by | Goodluck Ebele Jonathan |
Federal Minister of Petroleum Resources | |
Assumed office 11 November 2015 |
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Preceded by | Diezani Allison-Madueke |
7th Head of State of Nigeria | |
In office 31 December 1983 – 27 August 1985 |
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Vice President | Tunde Idiagbon as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters |
Preceded by | Shehu Shagari |
Succeeded by | Ibrahim Babangida |
Federal Commissioner of Petroleum and Natural Resources | |
In office March 1976 – June 1978 |
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Governor of Borno State | |
In office 3 February 1976 – 15 March 1976 |
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Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Mustapha Amin |
Governor of the Northeastern State | |
In office 1 August 1975 – 3 February 1976 |
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Preceded by | Musa Usman |
Succeeded by | Position abolished |
Personal details | |
Born |
Daura, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now Daura, Katsina State, Nigeria) |
17 December 1942
Nationality | Nigerian |
Political party | All Progressives Congress |
Spouse(s) |
|
Children |
10
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Alma mater |
Nigerian Military Training College Mons Officer Cadet School U.S. Army War College |
Religion | Islam |
Website | www |
Military service | |
Nickname(s) | Baba go slow |
Service/branch | Nigerian Army |
Years of service | 1961–1985 |
Rank | Major general |
Muhammadu Buhari GCFR (born 17 December 1942) is the President of Nigeria, in office since 2015. He is a retired Major General in the Nigerian Army and previously served as the nation's Head of State from 31 December 1983 to 27 August 1985, after taking power in a military coup d'état. The term Buharism is ascribed to the Buhari military government.
He unsuccessfully ran for the office of President in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 general elections. In December 2014, he emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the March 2015 general elections. Buhari won the election, defeating the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. This marked the first time in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent president lost to an opposition candidate in a general election. He was sworn in on 29 May 2015.
Buhari has stated that he takes responsibility for anything over which he presided during his military rule, and that he cannot change the past. He has described himself as a "converted democrat".
Muhammadu Buhari was born to a Fulani family on 17 December 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, to his father Adamu and mother Zulaihat. He is the twenty-third child of his father. Buhari was raised by his mother, after his father died when he was about four years old.
He attended primary school in Daura and Mai'adua before proceeding to Katsina Model School in 1953, and to Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College Katsina) from 1956 to 1961.