General Abdulsalami Abubakar came to office in the wake of the brutal Abacha regime, promising to return Nigeria to a civilian government. He called for internal reforms, including changes to the prison system, the release of political prisoners and better management of public money to combat corruption.

"It is clear that Nigerians want a country where fairness, justice and equity are not mass slogans but principles put into timely and indiscriminate practice. Nigerians want true democracy which must be based on a sound democratic foundation to ensure fulfillment and sustenance," Abubakar said.

Abubakar maintained his commitment to democratic reforms for his year as Nigeria's ruler. When he retired from the army in 1999, one of his last acts was to abolish the law allowing for detention without trial. In his farewell speech in May 1999, he defended his government's actions, but discouraged the military from attempting to regain power as they had so often in the past.