In 1979, in reaction to Aminu Kano's disqualification from the presidential race by General Obasanjo's military regime on the grounds of non payment of tax,Bienen, H. (1985). Political Conflict and Economic Change in Nigeria. Routledge. Bashir and a childhood friend, Awwalu Anwar, organised a youth protest to challenge the disqualification. The protest, however, mutated into a citywide riot which lasted for several days. Later he was to become a Students Union activist and the first Deputy Senate President of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS.
