On May 29, 1999, Nigeria returned to civilian rule after 16 years of continuous military dictatorship. General Olusegun Obasanjo, who had previously served as a military head of state in the 1970s, was sworn in as the democratically elected President.
This transition marked the birth of the Fourth Republic, which has become the longest period of uninterrupted democratic governance in Nigeria’s history. The 1999 Constitution, though criticized for its military origins, provided the framework for this new era.
The Fourth Republic has seen several successful transitions of power between presidents and, in 2015, the first-ever democratic transfer of power from an incumbent to an opposition candidate. Despite ongoing challenges with security and governance, the Fourth Republic represents a significant consolidation of democratic norms in Nigeria.