The Western Regional Elections were held on 11th October, 1965 to elect members of the region’s House of Assembly. This was an election, which the new NNDP government needed to win to consolidate its hold on power in the region.
Following the sudden death of General Sani Abacha on 8th June, 1998, General Abdusalami Abubakar, the Chief of Defence Staff was appointed as the new Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The regime was therefore a child of circumstance.