After 13 years of military rule, Nigeria returned to democracy on October 1, 1979. This marked the beginning of the Second Republic. The transition followed a multi-year program initiated by General Murtala Muhammed and completed by General Olusegun Obasanjo.
The 1979 Constitution moved Nigeria from a British-style parliamentary system to an American-style presidential system. In the presidential election, Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) emerged victorious.
The Second Republic was characterized by the emergence of several political parties and a vibrant, if often contentious, political atmosphere. However, it also faced significant economic challenges due to falling oil prices and allegations of widespread corruption, which eventually led to another military coup in 1983.