Chapter 13 of 17
Courage and Commitment - Standing up for Democracy
Devoid of bitterness, Shehu Yar'Adua served as Nigeria's most influential politician, mentoring others and steering the nation toward democracy. Political instability eventually forced General Ibrahim Babangida to step aside in August 1993 after he annulled the June 12th election. When General Sani Abacha seized power that November, Yar'Adua immediately exposed the regime's motives, courageously demanding a clear political agenda and timeline for their exit. Consequently, on March 9, 1995—just weeks after the Constitutional Conference recommended terminating military rule by 1996—Yar'Adua was arrested by a regime determined to eliminate any obstacle to their absolute power.
