(a) What is Military Rule?
(b) Give five reasons why people reject Military Rule in West Africa.
Explanation
(a) Military rule is a form of unconstitutional administration of a state or country by members of the armed forces based on martial laws (Decrees and Edicts) after successfully overthrowing the government of that state or country.
(b) People reject military rule because of the following reasons:
(i) By the training of the Armed Forces they are not meant to rule. Its primary function is to protect the state from external attacks.
(ii) Military rule is characterized by corruption, tribalism, sectionalism, nepotism.
(iii) Military government is undemocratic and unconstitutional. It comes in by force of arms.
(iv) Under Military rule, there is no accountability to the people because the people did not elect them in the first place.
(v) In the process of state and local government creation military rule often brings confusion in the country through arbitrary alterations of boundaries.
(vi) Military rule frustrates all efforts at establishing democratic government.
(vii) Military rule is autocratic e.g. ruling by Decrees and Edicts
(viii) It usually leads to personality conflicts and sectional rivalry within the armed forces.
(ix)The system undermines the judicial power because of the establishment of tribunals.
(x) Suspension of the constitution allows the fundamental human rights to be abused.
(xi) It curtails the freedom of expression and the press as every opposition or even contrary views are crushed.