Nigeria, June 4 -- The then Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd., GCFR) appointed him as the governor of Bendel State (now Edo and Delta States) in January 1984. He was there between January 1984 and August 1985. On 12 September, 1985, General Ibrahim Babangida (GCFR) appointed him minister of Transport and Aviation, while General Sani Abacha appointed him minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 1993 and 1998. He narrowly missed being head of state after General Sani Abacha (GCFR; 20 September 1943-8 June 1998) died on the night of 7 June, 1998.

That was twenty-seven years ago.

If General Jeremiah Useni (rtd) had become the head of state on 8 June, the course of history would have changed. He is alleged to...