31.   Doing so would mark an important turning point in Nigeria, where a young civilian government is trying to restore tolerance and stability after decades of brutal military rule.

32.   Despite his assurances, it is widely presumed that it will be a long time before civilian government becomes reality.

33.   During a weeklong campaign, Obasanjo presented himself as a safe bridge between a future civilian government and military rulers ever ready to seize back power.

34.   For the first time in nearly two decades, Nigeria has a civilian government.

35.   Given GOP insistence on shrinking the federal civilian government, Dole could not propose an exiting but costly initiative in some neglected social area.

36.   Guei toppled an unpopular civilian government and initially said he did not want to claim power permanently, but then said he would run for president.

37.   He had hoped to help re-establish civilian government.

38.   He pledged that he would hand over power to a civilian government, and even set a date to do so.

39.   He seems ready to anger opposition groups by keeping army in place until elections are held, without having a civilian government organize the polls.

40.   He should then appoint an interim civilian government to run the country until the election, and step aside.