(CNN) -- Olusegun Obasanjo, the winner of Nigeria's long-awaited presidential election, is a former military ruler who returns to power as a civilian ruler.

Obasanjo, 62, last came to power in 1976 after a failed coup attempt took the life of military leader Gen. Murtala Muhammed. Obasanjo handed over power to Shehu Shagari following presidential elections in 1979.

Obasanjo is the only military leader in Nigeria ever to hand over power to an elected civilian.

In 1995, Obasanjo was imprisoned by Gen. Sani Abacha, the Nigerian dictator, in connection with an alleged coup plot. He was freed last June along with his presidential campaign rival Olu Falae, who also had been imprisoned by Abacha.

The son of a middle class Baptist family from a town near Lagos, Obasanjo is Yoruba, one of the four main ethnic groups out of the more than 250 that make up Nigeria.

He became a teacher before joining the army in 1958 and undertook military training at schools in Britain and India.

In the 1967-70 Biafran civil war, he led a Nigerian army commando division and recorded a spectacular victory over rebels that helped pave the way for their final defeat.

Obasanjo's military background has proved to be both a political asset and liability. While it was the path to power for Obasanjo in 1976, critics accuse him of being a stooge of the military and the Muslim north, where the long-ruling military is deeply rooted. Indeed, he drew much of his support from the north.

Obasanjo is well-known in international circles and was once considered a candidate for U.N. secretary-general. He is a friend of South African President Nelson Mandela and former Western leaders.

As the candidate for the dominant Peoples Democratic Party, Obasanjo portrayed himself as an elder statesman who had left the military behind but was cautious about criticizing his former army fraternity.

"The military should not be pampered, but the military should not be bashed," Obasanjo recently told journalists.

Obasanjo did not outline a clear platform during the campaign but said he wanted to unite the many ethnic and religious divisions of the country.

"Every Nigerian has a stake in the survival and prosperity of the country. This stake should be recognized. No section or group should be made to feel disenfranchised or alienated," Obasanjo said last year.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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