This plan was not without pushback. , a former vice-president, led a group of 34 prominent politicians in presenting an 11-page memorandum to Abacha, urging him to reject the nomination to avoid national disgrace. However, they were fiercely countered by the Northern Patriotic Front , which included figures like Brigadier Abba Kyari and Tanko Yakassai , who accused Ekwueme of trying to destabilize the nation.
The budget for the transition was ballooning. Millions of dollars moved in cash, stuffed in Ghana-must-go bags, ferried by midnight convoys to homes of traditional rulers and influential businessmen. Abacha was buying the future, paying for it with the nation's crude wealth.
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Abacha had long promised a return to democracy with a handover set for October 1, 1998. However, the process was widely seen as a sham to legitimize his rule. By April 1998, all five state-approved political parties had adopted him as the sole presidential candidate for the upcoming election.
The fear in the corridors of power had changed texture. It was no longer the sharp fear of execution; it was the heavy, suffocating fear of uncertainty. last 100 days of abacha pdf 11
Paranoia within the military, the role of civilian collaborators, and the eventual sudden collapse of the regime.
The book is not merely a timeline of events; it is a critical analysis of Nigerian political culture. This plan was not without pushback
Orchestrated by pro-government groups like Youths Earnestly Ask for Abacha (YEAA) led by Daniel Kanu, massive state-funded rallies were held in Abuja to demand he remain in power indefinitely.
The core focus of the final months was the transition program designed solely to turn Abacha into a civilian president. Five political parties, humorously described by late Bola Ige as "five fingers of a leprous hand," were orchestrated to endorse him. The budget for the transition was ballooning
