Nigeria, March 22 -- In a recent conversation with some friends, I argued that two key political contentions might have been settled in Nigeria. The first is the issue of tenure extension. The failure of President Obasanjo's third-term bid and President Goodluck Jonathan's inability to secure what some called his third election seemed to have resolved the contentious issue of tenure elongation, which has plagued both civilian and military leadership in Nigeria. Earlier, the coup against General Gowon stemmed from his decision to delay handing over power in 1976, just as Babangida's prolonged transition and Abacha's despotic attempt to transmute into a civilian president demonstrated the dangers of indefinite rule.

The second issue that s...