THE POLITICISATION OF THE NIGERIAN MILITARY AND ITS EFFECT ON DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC
THE POLITICISATION OF THE NIGERIAN MILITARY AND ITS EFFECT ON DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC

Summary/Abstract: There are various studies that have shown that the military must not involve in the political process of any country. However, there are limited studies on the influence of military on democratic consolidation in post transitional states in Africa. Therefore, this study seeks to answer this research question: Does a politicised military have effect on the Nigeria’s quest for democratic consolidation? This study is situated within the corporate grievance model. Besides, secondary data include relevant books, journals, and other published documents related to the study area while content analysis was used to analyse the data collected. This study revealed that politicised Nigerian military has it root in Nigeria’s colonial period emanating from regional divisions of the various nationalist movements and regionalized political elite, thereby making it difficult to have a common consensus on national issues and maintain democratic consolidation in the country till date. This study further revealed that politicisation of the Nigerian military has encouraged mutual suspicion and triggered various agitations across the country and affect the country’s quest for democratic consolidation. This study recommends that Federal Government of Nigeria under current democratic dispensation should adhere to the federal character principle in all promotions, selections and appointments in the country to ally mutual suspicion.

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