Former Military Ruler Seeks Nigerian Presidency

KANO, Nigeria, Nov. 8 -- Former Nigerian military ruler Ibrahim Babangida on Wednesday formally joined the race for president, becoming one of the top candidates vying to lead Nigeria through its first democratic transfer of power.

By filing papers in Abuja, the capital, Babangida, 65, became the second former military ruler to announce his candidacy for president. Nigerians are scheduled to vote in April for a successor to Olusegun Obasanjo, who also was a military ruler before becoming the country's elected president in 1999.

The prominence of former military rulers in national politics is a source of unease for many Nigerians. The country has lurched between military rule and fragile democracy since independence from Britain in 1960.

"I do not like a military man to rule me," said Joseph Solmon, 32, who runs a cellphone shop here in the northern city of Kano.

Babangida joins several governors and other prominent Nigerians in the race. Among the candidates is Muhammadu Buhari, a military ruler who was deposed by Babangida in a 1985 coup.

Babangida led Nigeria through a painful period of economic liberalization, including an unpopular devaluation of the naira, the national currency. Many Nigerians also blame Babangida, who is reputed to be tremendously wealthy, for entrenching a culture of government corruption that remains among the country's most daunting problems.

Yet Babangida also has a warm political manner and is widely regarded as approachable.

"He just wants to redeem his image, correct the mistakes he has done in the past," said Aisha Ali, 36, who lives in Abuja.

Babangida left office in 1993 during a furious public backlash to his decision to nullify the results of a presidential election that was to select his successor. He remained, however, a prominent political dealmaker who gave crucial support to Obasanjo in 1999.

A Babangida political adviser, Omo Omoruyi, said that the days of military coups are over in Nigeria and that Babangida is determined to win the election and rule democratically. "Money is the king in an election," Omoruyi said in a recent interview in Abuja. "He will put his money where his mouth is."

Never in Nigeria has a democratically elected president handed power to another democratically elected president. A bid to allow Obasanjo to seek a third term by rewriting the constitution was blocked earlier this year.