First of all, let me say what brought about this topic. My younger sister in Jss3 during the last mid-term break they had told me she's been chosen to support the topic that "military rule is better than civilian rule."

She however said she would have loved to oppose the topic, her simple reason is because soldiers are too strict and in her own word wicked(she attends a military school).
I decided to give her reasons first to convince her to support the topic and second to present as her points during the debate. Here they are.

Supporting arguments
It is true that democracy is the best form of government however, for a third world country like Nigeria military rule is a better option simply because in most third world country basic resources and amenities are grossly insufficient thereby creating a state of "every man for himself God for us all". This leads to people breaking rules and laws at the expense of others in other to get their share of survival.
This desperate attitude would better be tackled not by a civilian government where optimum leniency is expected being government of the people and by the people but rather a stiff yet sane military system. This is simply because the military naturally commands respect and fear that is enough to make everyone do what is right while the nation develops without people marginalizing one another in an impatient bid to get maximum share of survival.

During some past military regime strong measures were taken again indiscipline which may not have really been effective in a civilian system since the people themselves will criticise their own elected as being too harsh and for the fear of not being reelected the right things won't be done.

It may be argued that the military does not give room for checks and balances but the question is of what difference then is the civilian where although checks and balances are in place but never effective. Take for instance, many public office holders have been tried many times for corruption, misuse of power and other offences. Thanks to the civilian checks and balances but majority of such cases ended up being covered, totally rendering the so called checks and balances system useless.

It may be defended that majority of developments in Nigeria are carried out by the military simply because they stayed so long in government but the question again is was it not political struggles/advantages the civilians are busy running after during their own stay in office.

Lastly it is said that democracy is the government of the people, for the people and by the people but do we really have democracy or illegal military rule? When people cannot even vote their desired candidates willingly again but by the fear of guns, cutlasses and machetes from political thugs and hooligans, when snatching of ballot boxes at gun point is the order of the day. I call that illegal military rule, so why not just allow the legal military rule by the men in Khaki.

My sister told me after giving these points of course as best as her head could carry them she won the debate however, i want us here on Nairaland to see things together and judge if i'm wrong with my opinions.

pls we dont need dis type of debate cos we will still prefer d worst civilian government 2 d best of military government anytime.

danot1030: pls we dont need dis type of debate cos we will still prefer d worst civilian government 2 d best of military government anytime.

Is that so? You.ve forgotten it not about uniform or no uniform but the personality.

cdoffx:
Is that so? You.ve forgotten it not about uniform or no uniform but the personality.

d civilian govnt. still offer us policies dat we can relate wit compare 2 d military like right of opposition, freedom of speech etc.

danot1030: pls we dont need dis type of debate cos we will still prefer d worst civilian government 2 d best of military government anytime.

is it difficult for u to speak for urself rather than that out of the world word 'we'. you and who are the we? did u hear that over N700B fertilizer money is missing? even the so-called democracy makes room for individual's opinions. those of us that want democracy practice military rule inside them. in a forum like this one, one man, one voice is democracy but when ppl like u start speaking for WE and then wait for who will challenge u, it becomes a military govt.

@topic,
i think democracy is good in every other country apart from nigeria. we need not this type of our compromised military but we need a real military men with pure discipline to sanitize the country before we start thinking of democracy.
what do u call democracy when our votes has no place in the election(selection) of our rulers? what is democracy when criminal activities is on the increase and nobody is going to jail? in democracy, there is separation of powers, there is equality before the law and there is supremacy of the law. look at the election in bayelsa and the one in anambra. which part of our govt shows democracy?
stealing without boundaries is not democracy. in a country where 16 votes is higher than 19 votes( nigeria govs forum) i will be a mad man to call this democracy. if u are talking about democracy, go to ghana and why is it possible there? there was a military sanitation that usher in the democracy.
yeye democracy where politics is the most lucrative business in the land.

danot1030: d civilian govnt. still offer us policies dat we can relate wit compare 2 d military like right of opposition, freedom of speech etc.

How then would you compare this present government with that of Murtala Muhammed in 1976? Murtala Muhammed an offence for any government official, civil servants especially, not to have any car that was more expensive than Peugeot. Buying Mercedez Benz was an offence. But what do you have today, buying of bullet proof cars worth millions.
The popular saying, "the worse civilian rule is better than the best military", should be used relatively, especially in Nigerian context.

danot1030: d civilian govnt. still offer us policies dat we can relate wit compare 2 d military like right of opposition, freedom of speech etc.

hahahahahahahaha, this man, are u talking realities on ground or what they teach u in school. Amaechi had 19 votes and jonathan is only recognizing the man with 16 votes. onyilola won election as secretary of pdp and even won his case in the court but he was rather suspended. pdp does not recognise opposition in her party what more strangers? when Chief Raymond Dokpesi(owner of ait) was working for IBB instead of Jonathan, he was arrested on the accusation of been behind the 1st october bombing in abuja. the same man became a victim when his ait covered the live section of the senate debate of third term agenda. which opposition are u talking about oga?

,

In debate, he with d stronger point wins but.....









In practice as my fellow nairalander said..
Worst civilian governt is better dan best military rule...do u d value of freedom? Dat cant b bought with money.

What you have now is not different from military government.
The same people are still dictating the tune.
It has simply gone from really bad to worse.
Anenih , ciroma,IBB, oyinlola, babangida,ibori,GEJ,obasanjo etc are all a creation or creatures of the military.

GEJ was a political appointee in OMPADEC ,An IBB/Abacha creation and was a member of one of Abacha's leprous

Another thing these men have in common is that

THEY AREN'T THAT BRIGHT.
AT LEAST THAT IS THE OPINION OF ONE NIGERIAN BASED EXPATRIATE I MET ,WHO HAS BEEN IN NIGERIA OFF AND ON FOR 38YRS AND WHO HAS MET IN PERSON ,ALL THE PRESIDENT FROM FROM SHAGARI TO THE PRESENT .

NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED

chimex38: In debate, he with d stronger point wins but.....









In practice as my fellow nairalander said..
Worst civilian governt is better dan best military rule...do u d value of freedom? Dat cant b bought with money.

So you really believe you.ve freedom here. Get on AIT and start a 20min programme weekly pointing and discriminating vehemently and exposing all the wrongs and dirty secrets from the presidency to the guber level and see if you truly have freedom of speech.
Just as 1025 had posted and as i.ve made clear in the opening of my first post. Democracy is the best form of government no doubt however for an average African country and Nigeria in particular we need iron hand to get most people to do the right thing and i'll suggest military for that.

bloggernaija: What you have now is not different from military government.
The same people are still dictating the tune.
It has simply gone from really bad to worse.
Anenih , ciroma,IBB, oyinlola, babangida,ibori,GEJ,obasanjo etc are all a creation or creatures of the military.

GEJ was a political appointee in OMPADEC ,An IBB/Abacha creation and was a member of one of Abacha's leprous

Another thing these men have in common is that

THEY AREN'T THAT BRIGHT.
AT LEAST THAT IS THE OPINION OF ONE NIGERIAN BASED EXPATRIATE I MET ,WHO HAS BEEN IN NIGERIA OFF AND ON FOR 38YRS AND WHO HAS MET IN PERSON ,ALL THE PRESIDENT FROM FROM SHAGARI TO THE PRESENT .

NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED

For those of you that don't understand anything that's just been said, then listen to the song below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5USwWBtwceI

And people wonder why I say Nigerians can't be too bright, really. It's all in front of them, and they still can't see it. The book has been read from start to finish and explained to them---because they are too lazy to do it themselves --- still they don't know how the book will end.

Funny thing is these their obviously dull leaders keep using the same trick on them day in, day out and they keep falling for it.