Survey: Concerns as Nigerians back Clarke’s call for military intervention

When Robert Clarke (SAN) stoked the debate over military intervention on November 25, everyone expected him to be fried for having the audacity to even think about it.

Troubled by Nigeria’s seeming descent into a ruinous path, and what he termed gangsterism in the style of leadership, Clarke, while speaking on Channels Television, canvassed that the military should return to power for a 2-year period to clean the mess left by the politicians.

Read More: Nigeria is in ruins, let the military intervene- Robert Clarke (SAN)

Were Nigerians livid by Clarke’s comments? The sentiments appeared heavily weighed against him, at least on the surface, largely because military involvement in governance was no longer fashionable. Added to this was the Nigerian experience that left the citizens with unforgettable scars of mis-governance and repression.

Even Ripples Nigeria took out an editorial on November 28 titled, “Our stand: Clarke’s call for military intervention, so absurd!”

Read More: Our Stand: Clarke’s call for military intervention, so absurd!

However, driven by a desire to ensure objectivity, the platform also undertook a popularity test of Clarke’s position, and the results were astounding. A survey titled, “Do you support Robert Clarke’s call for military intervention in Nigeria?” was administered online on December 2. Stats show that the survey reached 524,773 persons, while 1,375 actually voted.

Against popular belief, 52.9% of respondents backed Clarke’s call while 43.2% did not support him. The number of respondents who were undecided stood at 3.9% (see chart). A total of 4,200 persons either ‘liked’, ‘disliked’ or expressed ‘sadness’ over poll outcomes.

While the results may seem a close call, what the facts suggest is that Nigerians want a quick fix to everyday challenges which they perceive a military structure would readily handle.

The social media engagement on the survey, especially on Facebook, was even more revealing. With 2,512 comments, the conversations, arguably, rank among the highest of any recent survey (see screen shot).

A dominant argument by Clarke’s supporters is that the present crop of leaders cannot be trusted to effect a radical change from within, and that Nigeria’s crisis of development needs to be addressed before it takes a dangerous turn. Opposing elements, however, hold that the military, especially its retired officers, are already actively engaged in Nigeria’s democratic march, and that what is required is the patience to build sustainable institutions.

The Buhari administration has repeatedly called for patience and understanding, saying that it needs time to address the rot left behind by 16 years of alleged looting of the economy by the Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.

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