 In August 2008 General Ould Abdel Aziz led the 2008 Mauritanian coup d'état that toppled President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.Following the latter coup, Abdel Aziz became President of the High Council of State as part of what was described as a political transition leading to a new election.He resigned from that post in April 2009 in order to stand as a candidate in the July 2009 presidential election, which he won.