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Remarkable People, Places and Events – General Ibrahim Babangida

General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (born August 17, 1941), also known as IBB, is a retired Nigerian Army General who was President of Nigeria under military rule. He ruled Nigeria from August 27, 1985, when he overthrew Major General Muhammadu Buhari in a coup, until his departure from office on August 27, 1993, having annulled the elections held on June 12 that year.

8 Facts about General Ibrahim Babangida

1. Ibrahim Babangida was born in 1941, Minna, Niger State.

2. Babangida attended the Provincial Secondary School, Bida from 1957 to 1962 where his classmates included officers such as Abdulsalami Abubakar.

3. The former military head of state was married to Maryam (née King) Babangida who died from complications of ovarian cancer on December 27, 2009.

4. IBB served as Nigeria’s military leader head of state from 1985 to 1993.

5. He annulled the presidential elections held on June 12, 1993 which indicated that businessman Moshood Abiola, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, was the apparent winner, a decision which proved to be controversial.

6. He was nicknamed ”Maradona” by the Nigerian press after he ”dribbled” Nigerians severally promising to handover to a democratic government.

7. His 100-room mansion in Minna was built by Julius Berger on top a hill.

8. In 2007, he tried to contest for the presidency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

To celebrate his 74th birthaday, Nigeria’s former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) hosted some journalists at his Minna mansion to speak about his life experiences so far.

Reference: Naij.com

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