ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that the transition program under General Ibrahim Babangida was a fraudulent program. It shows that while the military kept asserting that it was democratizing Nigeria, in reality, it was destroying the institutional foundations of democracy. The chapter analyzes how the military deliberately subverted its own transition program. It suggests that under the Babangida transition, every misstep by civilian politicians was used as an excuse to prolong the life of the transition, and hence, the longevity of military rule. The chapter also shows that the regime deliberately set traps for civilian politicians so that their failures could provide a rationale for extending military rule. It highlights several factors that made it possible for the military to derail the transition program. Military rule has become endemic in Nigeria. The armed forces first came to power in January 1966. Since then the country has been ruled by a succession of military officers.
