Abubakar, Abdulsalam Alhaji

Abubakar, Abdulsalam Alhaji, 1942–, Nigerian military officer and political leader, b. Minna, Niger State. He served in the Nigerian air force (1963–67) and army (1967–99), achieving the rank of general and becoming defense chief. Appointed head of state following the death of Sani Abacha in 1998, he pledged to return the country to civilian rule. During his time in office a new Nigerian constitution was adopted, providing for multiparty elections. Olusegun Obasanjo, elected president in 1999, succeeded him.

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