Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Signs of a government in charge or in trouble

Nigeria military chiefs dismissed

"Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has dismissed the country's chief of the defence staff together with the heads of the army and navy...

"No reason has yet been given for the surprise dismissals, but an official statement said the men were retiring, a BBC correspondent in Abuja said.

"The move appears to be the first major change to Nigeria's military since Mr Yar'Adua came to office...

"The head of the air force, Air Marshal Paul Dike, has been promoted to become overall defence chief, the country's top military position.

"The BBC's Chris Ewokor in Abuja said that such dismissals usually only take place where there has been evidence of a threat to the government and it could be that the men had fallen out of favour with Mr Yar'Adua...

"Our correspondent said the sackings were a bold move in a country that has had more military governments than civilian ones in almost 50 years of independence..."


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