During his rule, he cemented the central government's control over the country, and planned to end tribal loyalty and Yemen's medieval social classes by proclaiming all Yemenis as equal.

On 13 June 1974, he was an effective member of the officers who ran the white military coup overthrowing Abdul Rahman al-Iryani in the revolutionary correction movement of 13 June 1974 and handed over all the president's and the members' of the republican council authorities to the military forces which represented in the leadership of the general and senior officers mentioned: Ahmad Ghashmi, Yahya Mutawakil, Mujahid Abu Shawareb, Ali Al-Shibh, Hammoud Pedder, Ali Alilla'a, AED Abu Meat, Ali Abu Lohoum, and added later Abdaziz Abdul Ghani and Abdullah Abdulalim.

Believing that education was the cornerstone to development and progress, al-Hamdi implemented a free breakfast program for pupils in remote rural areas to increase access to basic schooling.

Moreover, Al-Hamdi made a number of executive decisions during his rule to increase the role of government and promote citizenship and equality.

His efforts to eradicate tribal loyalty (including in the military) and establish the rule of law in a country devastated by years of civil conflict were ground-breaking in the Arab world during the 1970s.

Al-Hamdi was also planning to establish more democratic institutions in the country by founding what he called “popular conventions.” The purpose of these conventions was to “prepare the groundwork for eventual elections” in North Yemen.

What is more, the locally driven LDAs protected the Yemeni countryside from an influx of foreign finance capital (disguised as development 'aid' and often tethered to massive usury rates).

He reorganised the Yemeni army into four main forces: The circumstances of al-Hamdi's death remain undetermined,[3] although the perpetrator is widely assumed to be a Saudi agent.

[6] When the Yemeni Revolution broke out, protesters gathered with the image of the late president, demanding justice and the investigation of the death of al-Hamdi.