Gen. Ibrahim Babangida astounded his people one last time. He gave up power when he said he would but handed it over to hand-picked supporters instead of the man Nigerians tried to elect.
Hours before his self-imposed deadline for a return to civilian rule on Thursday, Babangida cobbled together a new government and then retired to his hometown of Minna.He had promised to resign before Aug. 27, the eighth anniversary of the coup that brought him to power in this nation of 90 million people, Africa's most populous.
Babangida plunged Nigeria into its worst crisis since the 1967 civil war by voiding the results of the June 12 election he organized. The move stirred public outrage, prompted world sanctions and mobilized an opposition movement.
The interim government is to organize new elections next year.
Missing from the new government is billionaire publisher Moshood K.O. Abiola, the apparent winner of the June presidential ballot. Abiola said in London that he will return to Nigeria next week to claim his mandate.
He told The Associated Press in an interview late Thursday night, "I will go to Nigeria as soon as the dust settles and as soon as it is safe to do so. I am still waiting to give my oath of office. I will soon be president."
Babangida, bitterly opposed to Abiola's victory, instead handed power to former businessman Ernest Shonekan, 57, a functionary in his military government.
"No one should deny the fact of the clear direction which we gave to our country," Babangida wear-