Muhammadu Buhari was born on the 12th of December, 1942 in Daura, Katsina state, to Adamu and Zulaihat Buhari.
He had his early education at Daura and Mai’adua before proceeding to Katsina Model School in 1953. He went on to the Katsina Provincial secondary Sachool from 1956 to 1961.
The young Mohammadu Buhari joined the Nigerian Army in 1961 and attended the Nigerian Military Training college in Kaduna.
He rose to retire as a Major General in 1985.
In 1971, Muhammadu Buhari had his first marriage to Sefinatu Yusuf which produced five children. In
December 1989, he got married to his current wife, Aisha Halilu. This also produced five children.
Then Head of State in 1976, appointed him Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural resources.
By December 1983, General Buhari became a head of state after a military coup that ousted President Shehu Shagari.
He was overthrown on the 27th of August 1985 but not without leaving an indelible mark on the country’s psyche.
Buhari’s zero tolerance for indiscipline, championed by the War Against Indiscipline campaign, has remained a reference point for successive governments.
Within the 20 months of his reign, no fewer than 500 politicians, public functionaries and businessmen were jailed for corruption related offences.
In 1994, General Buhari was appointed the Chairman of the newly set up Petroleum Trust Fund by then head of state, General Sani Abacha.
With the return of Democracy in 1999, General Buhari began a bid to return as the country’s head of government but now as a civilian.
He first contested as president in 2003 and then again in 2007 as the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party but lost all to the PDP. By 2010, he formed the Congress for Progressive Change on whose platform he contested the 2011 Presidential election and again lost to the PDP.
He emerged the candidate of the newly formed All Progressives Congress for the 2015 Presidential election defeating established politicians which include a former Vice President.
He won the March 28 Presidential election by defeating the incumbent for the first time in Nigeria’s political history.
Now, he is being sworn-in as the 5th President in Nigeria and the 4th within this 16-year-run of democracy.
