Mamadou Tandja

Tandja Mamadou (* 1938 in Maïné - Soroa ) is a Nigerien politician of the party National Movement of the Development Society ( MNSD - Nassara ). He was from 1999 until his overthrow in 2010 president of the country.

Life

Tandja Mamadou went to primary school in his birthplace Maïné - Soroa. From 1955 to 1959 he went to the military school in Katibougou in Mali. In 1959, he began his career as a commissioned officer in the armed forces of Niger, where he served for over three decades and became successively higher officer grade. From 1959 to 1963 he continued his military training at the NCO School in Antananarivo. In 1965, he attended the military school in Bouaké. In the 1960s, he served as commander in the military camp Tondibiah in the capital Niamey and commander of the motorized unit in Dirkou.

Tandja was involved in 1974 as a member of the Supreme Military Council instrumental in the overthrow of the Nigerien President Hamani Diori. After holding the post of prefect of the department of Maradi in 1976, he served in the new government under Seyni Kountché 1979-1981 as Minister of the Interior. Subsequently he worked until 1988 as prefect of the department of Tahoua. From 1988 to 1990 he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Nigeria and then re- worked until 1991 as Minister of the Interior. This year, Tandja ended his career in the armed forces, where he most recently had the rank of lieutenant colonel, and was president of the party National Movement of the Development Society. He held until 1999 this post.

In the presidential elections in 1993 he tried for the first time to the office of President of Niger, but was beaten Mahamane Ousmane.

In the presidential elections of 1996, he took up again, but was defeated with only 15.65 percent of the vote the incumbent Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara. After his assassination and the temporary takeover of power by a military junta took place in October and November 1999 again held elections. In the first round of the presidential elections of 1999 Tandja received 32 percent of the vote. In the runoff, he then was able to win with 60 percent of the vote against the former Prime Minister Mahamadou Issoufou.

Tandja took office on 22 December 1999 and appointed Hama Amadou on his prime minister. This was the first democratically accomplished transfer of power in the country's history. In his tenure, Tandja focused on economic development of the country and the reduction of public debt. He drove the government spending down dramatically. 2001, the students of the Abdou - Moumouni University of Niamey protested violently against the reduction of their training programs. 2002 rebelled several soldiers against their pay. Loyal military units knocked down this rebellion. Tandja came under political attack in this context, since it prohibited the reporting of the rebellion. From February 2002 he was acting president of the Niger Basin Authority. In December 2002, he became acting president of the West African Economic and Monetary Union and in March 2003, the current President of the Community of Sahel - Saharan States.

In the presidential elections in November and December 2004, Tandja Mamadou was running for a second term as Nigerien President and won. Hama Amadou was reappointed as prime minister.

Since Niger's constitution allowed only two terms for the president, Tandja began in August 2009 by a referendum on a new constitution. Previously, he had Parliament and the Constitutional Court resolved because both bodies had voted against the referendum. On 20 October 2009, President Tandja held parliamentary elections starting in Niger, which were boycotted by the opposition parties. Because of the controversial elections put the West African Economic Community ( ECOWAS) from the membership of Niger.

On 18 February 2010 Tandja was overthrown by the military. He was initially held at a military base in Niamey. Subsequently, he was placed under house arrest in Niamey and transferred to a civilian prison in Kollo early 2011. He was aid to embezzlement, nepotism and - because of the intended constitutional referendum - pre been perjury. An appeals court acquitted him of all charges. Tandja was released in May 2011 from prison. In October 2012, the Council of the Republic began its work, the Tandja belongs under the Constitution, as a former president.

Honors

• Commander of the Legion of Honour (1982 )
• Grand Cross of the National Order of Niger (1999)