SOME FACTS ABOUT GMB: NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT-ELECT YOU MAY NOT KNOW

17 Amazing Things Nigerians Should Know About President-elect

By getting more than 15 million votes to Goodluck Jonathan’s almost 13 million votes, General Muhammadu Buhari becomes the first man to overthrow (by the poll) a sitting Nigerian president. Here are about 17 things you may not know about ‘Peoples General’.

All Progressives Congress presidential candidate becomes the first man in Nigeria’s 16-year fourth republic to overthrow a PDP presidential aspirant. 

For the first time, Buhari is no longer a leader of northern Nigeria. Statistics of this election show former military ruler now has the national approval he sorely lacked.

This is the first time in four attempts that Buhari has won more than one state in the north-central zone. Before now, he never won a state in the southwest.

                           General Muhammadu Buhari: Nigeria's President-Elect

Read some of his interesting bio-data below:

• He is the 23rd child in his family. Buhari was raised by his mother, after his father died when he was about three or four years old.
• He had 10 children (two are deceased). Buhari married twice, each wife born him 5 children.
• Buhari assumed military training in three countries: the United States, India and the United Kingdom.
• He raised cattle as a young boy.
• Buhari has eight military medals.
• He knew his successor, Ibrahim Babangida, was going to overthrow his administration.
• He was jailed by Babangida for nearly four years.
• The mother of the former military ruler died in 1988 while he was in imprisonment and was not allowed to attend her funeral.
• Buhari was one of the two private African individuals to be invited to US President, Barack Obama’s inauguration.
• In 1983, when Chadian forces invaded Borno State, Buhari used soldiers under his command to chase them out of the country, crossing into Chadian territory.
• He denied an offer to work with the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration.

• He appointed the current Senate President as the Governor of Niger State in 1984.
• In March 1976, the Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed Buhari as the Federal Commissioner (position now called Minister) for Petroleum and Natural Resources.
• At 72, he would be the oldest person to ever rule Nigeria. The youngest was Gen. Yakubu Gowon at the age of 32.
• He is the third Fulani person to rule Nigeria.
• He had military training alongside a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloysius Katsina-Alu.
• Buhari has been a candidate in every election since 2003. Twice as the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) and once as the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).