Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (born 21 September 1949) was governor of Kaduna state in Nigeria from August 1985 to June 1988 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. After retiring from the army in 1993, he became a social critic and the founder of Movement for Unity and Progress, a political party. Birth and education Umar was born on 21 September 1949 in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. His father was a school teacher and administrator with the traditional title of Wazirin Gwandu who became a member of the House of Representatives in Lagos (1954 - 1964) and Commissioner for Works in the North-Western State (1968 - 1975). He was educated at Government College, Sokoto (1964 - 1968), Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, (1967 - 1972), Nigeria Army Armored School, Ibadan, (1972), US Army Administration School, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, USA (1976), Royal Armour School, Kentucky, USA (1977 - 1978), Command and Staff College, Jaji (1978 - 1979 and 1982 - 1983), Bayero University, Kano (1979 - 1981), Harvard University, USA (1988 - 1989). Military career Umar joined the Nigerian Army in 1967 and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in March 1972. He held various positions, including ADC to Major General Hassan Usman Katsina, Deputy Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. Umar was appointed General Staff Officer in the Department of Armour, Army Headquarters. At the time of the coup of 27 August 1985 in which General Ibrahim Babangida assumed power he was a Major and Chairman of the Federal Housing Authority (1984 - 1985). He supported the coup, and after it succeeded he was appointed Governor of Kaduna State. Later he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. Umar was Military Governor of Kaduna State from September 1985 to June 1988, during a period when funding was scarce. He had to deal with a serious religious crisis within the state in 1987, becoming unpopular with all sides of the dispute. He said "If you win a religious war, you cannot win a religious peace [...] Since the killing started how many Christians have been converted to Islam? How many Muslims have been converted to Christianity? It is an exercise in futility". In 1993, he was Colonel and Commander of the Armoured Corps Center and School. He was opposed to the annulment of the 12 June 1993 presidential election, and started looking for support within the army for installing the elected president M.K.O. Abiola. In