In 2003, Buhari ran for the presidency representing the now defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party. He ran against then president Olusegun Obasanjo, who was running for a second term. About 18 others – including Gani Fawehinm, a civil rights activist, and Emeka Ojukwu, the leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra – were also on the ballot.
Although Buhari would eventually lose that election by polling about 32% of the total votes cast, the 12.7 million votes he amassed in the Muslim areas of the north were impressive for a new entrant in partisan politics. Buhari won elections in the 11 states that had, two years prior, adopted sharia law. These states include: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno and Yobe.
In 2007, Nigeria conducted one of its most controversial elections. International observers described it as a sham and the eventual winner, Umaru
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