APC Registration: Violence And 2015

As Nigeria draws closer to the 2015
general elections, nearly every
comment and action have tended to be political or traceable to the elections. But why anyone would do anything to threaten the due implementation of the elections remains curious.
Only recently, the registration of persons under the All Progressives Congress (APC) resulted in violence in parts of Rivers State. Such security breaches have forced some persons to wonder what would happen in the 2015 general elections if, ordinary intra-party registration could attract so much bad blood. They are concerned about the safety of their lives, property and the hard earned democracy.
In the Kalabari area of Rivers State alone, a young man was shot dead in Fouchee Community of Degema Local Government Area. Similarly, while some persons in Abonnema in Akuku-Toru  and Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Areas freely used machetes on themselves on account of the registration, a prominent politician in Oguruama (Old Bakana) in the Degema Local Government Area narrowly escaped death when he ran into the mangrove, but his country home was vandalised. Even a photographer employed to snap those registered had machete cuts.
This, to say the least, is highly condemnable, barbaric and undemocratic. It is unthinkable that anyone would contemplate preventing any other person from exercising his political righ to freely associate, talk less of killing and maiming fellow townsmen at this stage of our civilisation in Nigeria. It is indeed a shame.
The Tide was told that violence broke-out in places where another party claimed ownership. Others say the use of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Ward structures, instead of the  offices of APC for the registration caused the crisis. On both counts, political stooges in Rivers State simply made the country a laughing stock in the comity of nations.
Of even bigger source of worry, is the safety of the ordinary citizens during the forthcoming review of voters register which will necessarily bring together members of all the parties. Even more fearsome is the commencement of political campaigns that may result in some persons barring others from campaigning in some areas if the needed action is not taken.
The Tide believes that the change that can be made in 2015 is a function of how this rape on civility is addressed. It is only natural that perpetrators of violence and murder during the registration of APC members be properly investigated and culprits made to face the full wrath of the law. To pretend that nothing happened is to endorse political violence across the clime.
It must be stated, and clearly too that every Nigerian, except those barred from playing partisan politics by law, are free to join any political party of their choice. On the other hand, every citizen should be free to vote for any candidate or political party of his or her choice. This is a fundamental right of all citizens  and  the true beauty of democracy.
That is why those who lost their sanity and  attacked fellow countrymen over party registration should  hide their faces in shame. They should also know that they did not only deny some people their rights, but offended the laws of the land.
Finally, we appeal to the political class to stop and ponder over the following questions: If they maim the same Nigerians whose mandate they seek, the ones that own the sovereignty, what future do they foresee for themselves? What future would they be leaving for the unborn? What impression do they present to the global community?
Besides, politics is meant  to better the lot of the people and not destroy them. We know that violence has always consumed its perpetrators in the end. Therefore, good politicians should  work hard to defend our hard-earned democracy. This is because “evil only thrives where good men do nothing.”