21 Facts About Mamadou Tandja

Mamadou Tandja was a Nigerien politician who was President of Niger from 1999 to 2010.

Mamadou Tandja was President of the National Movement for the Development of Society from 1991 to 1999 and unsuccessfully ran as the MNSD's presidential candidate in 1993 and 1996 before being elected to his first term in 1999.

Mamadou Tandja was the first President of Niger who was not ethnically Hausa or Djerma.

Mamadou Tandja was born in Maine-Soroa, French West Africa in 1938, in the south-eastern part of what is Niger.

Mamadou Tandja became Prefect of Maradi in 1976 before being appointed to the government as Minister of the Interior on 10 September 1979; he remained in the latter position until being replaced by Kountche himself on 31 August 1981.

Mamadou Tandja was then Prefect of Tahoua from 1981 to March 1988, Ambassador to Nigeria from June 1988 to March 1990 and Minister of the Interior again from March 1990 to March 1991.

In 1991, Mamadou Tandja emerged as the head of one of two powerful factions in the ruling National Movement of the Development Society and at a party congress held in November 1991, he was elected as MNSD President.

Mamadou Tandja's obtaining of the party leadership over rival faction leader Moumouni Adamou Djermakoye marked a departure from the traditional dominance of the party by Djermakoye's Zarma ethnic group.

Mamadou Tandja participated in an opposition protest against the government of the Alliance of the Forces of Change ruling coalition on 16 April 1994 and was arrested along with 90 others.

Mamadou Tandja received the backing of Ousmane in the second round.

The MNSD won the most seats in the parliamentary election in November 1999 and Mamadou Tandja himself was elected to the National Assembly as an MNSD candidate from Diffa constituency, although due to his concurrent election as President his seat was filled by his substitute, Nassourou Samaila.

Mamadou Tandja took office as President on 22 December 1999.

Mamadou Tandja appointed Hama Amadou as Prime Minister in January 2000.

Mamadou Tandja focused on economic development, negotiating with the civil service unions and with foreign donors.

Mamadou Tandja was a candidate for re-election in the 2004 presidential election.

On 25 May 2009, the Constitutional Court, made up of appointed judges, released a ruling that any referendum to create a new constitution would not only be unconstitutional, but would violate the oath Mamadou Tandja had sworn on the Qur'an.

Mamadou Tandja was believed to be held at a military barracks on the outskirts of Niamey.

Mamadou Tandja was held under house arrest and then moved to a prison in January 2011.

Mamadou Tandja's mother, having reached a very advanced age, died in March 2011.

Mamadou Tandja suffered from an illness in his final years and travelled to France, Germany and Morocco for medical treatment.

Mamadou Tandja died on 24 November 2020 in Niamey at the age of 82.