After his second removal from power in a coup d'état led by General André Kolingba, he pursued an active career as an opposition politician and presidential candidate with many loyal supporters; Dacko was an important political figure in the country for over 50 years.

Dacko was born in the village of Bouchia, near Mbaïki in the Lobaye region (which was then a part of the French Equatorial African territory of Ubangi-Shari), to Joseph Iniabodé and Marie Okolania.

[5] Soon after Dacko's birth, his family moved to Boda, where his father worked in a store belonging to a European coffee planter in Bonini named Tancret.

When the first Council of Government of Ubangi-Shari was established that same year, Boganda named Dacko Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Water and Forests, in which position he served from 14 May 1957 until 23 August 1958.

Dacko states that he was convinced to accept candidacy by a group of Assembly members from MESAN, namely Gabriel Barrot, Thomas Lemotomo, Ibrahim Tello, Robert Sama, Bellet Herman and Alphonse Yokadouma.

In October 1959, Goumba and Ngounio proposed that Dacko be replaced by Pierre Maléombho as president, but as it became obvious that the motion would not succeed, they ended up withdrawing it within a week, before it could be discussed at the Assembly.

On the night of 31 December 1965 – 1 January 1966, General Bokassa carried out a successful coup d'état against Dacko and prevented the possible assumption of power by a rival, Colonel Jean Izamo, head of the national gendarme police force.

Upon return to office, Dacko found himself forced to retain many of the officials who had been part of the Bokassa regime, as the country had no more than one hundred trained personnel available for government posts.

Immediately after his restoration Dacko found financial support from France, who provided his government with $17 million, leading to relative success in his first six months.

With French support, the European Economic Community was persuaded to give $20 million in aid, which was intended for the revitalisation of the crumbling agricultural sector, particularly coffee production, as well as developing infrastructure.

[citation needed] Patassé's opposition drew on the support of high school students as well as young unemployed adults in the shanty towns next to Bangui, such as Muskine.

French aid then improved the timeliness of the salary payments, and Dacko was also able to introduce further scholarships for high school and university students, leading to an erosion of opposition.

These took place in the main stadium in Bangui and were broadcast on radio, thus increasing Dacko's popularity, despite some skepticism amongst urban Central Africans.

[9] On 1 September 1981, Dacko was overthrown in a bloodless coup carried out by army chief of staff General André Kolingba, who may have had the support of local French security officers who are suspected of having acted without authorization by François Mitterrand's new Socialist government in France.

Such allegations may never be substantiated, but Kolingba did subsequently enjoy a very close relationship with France and a presidential security team led by Colonel Mantion.