Nigeria, June 1 -- 1993 was the year that changed Nigeria's judiciary. Over a period of a mere five months, the military in that year contrived to overthrow the government twice. First, in June, Ibrahim Babangida, the army General who was Nigeria's military ruler at the time, nullified an election organised to determine who would succeed him. Five months later, in November of the same year, another General and then Defence Minister, Sani Abacha, overthrew the Interim National Government (ING) installed in the aftermath of Babangida's shameful abdication from power. On both occasions, the judiciary authored the overthrow.

At the end of an interminable transition, the ballot to elect a civilian successor to Babangida was scheduled to occur...