In the eyes of many Nigerians, General Muhammadu Buhari is just the kind of politician that the country should have moved on from years ago. A dour ex-military man who rejoices in his hardman reputation, he was one of a succession of uniformed leaders during the country's period of military rule in the 1980s and 1990s.

Some, like the late Sani Abacha, were outright kleptocrats, and none of them earned glowing praise for their human rights records. But in a country where civilian leadership has often been just as bad, it is no surprise that many Nigerians were willing to give Mr Buhari a second chance.

True, in mounting a credible and successful challenge to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Buhari benefited considerably from his opponent's perceived mistakes. Mr Jonathan was roundly criticised both at home and abroad for failing to crush the Boko Haram insurgency in the north, and also for his lacklustre response to their kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls, who have not yet been found.