APC Convention: Bravo

Only few political events in recent
times in Nigeria have attracted
pleasant reactions from the political class and true lovers of democracy as the just-concluded national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Abuja convention confounded critics of the APC and some political observers who felt the outcome would go the way of others before it. This is more so as the convention was attended by a gallery of political gladiators with diverse political backgrounds.
However, the success of the APC convention did not come as a surprise, especially to many highly placed Nigerians, giving the caliber of persons in the party, who apparently resolved to sheath their swords and put aside their individual political interests in the overall interest of the party.
Contrary to speculations in the social media, the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi has also told newsmen that the convention was very successful and satisfactory. He actually congratulated the leadership and pledged to make the needed sacrifice to lift the party and rescue Nigeria.
While The Tide joins other well-meaning Nigerians to congratulate the APC for conducting a successful convention and for living up to expectation of a responsible opposition party, we think that the  high point of the discourse is the congratulatory message of the political parties to the APC on the successful convention.
That other parties which hypercritical of the membership registration exercise of the APC, publicly commended the outcome of the convention speaks volumes on the success and the future of partisan opposition, and indeed, democracy in Nigeria. In fact, the gesture clearly evinces the fact that the nation’s political class is beginning to practice democracy.
The Tide believes that even the parties deserve some commendation for the uncommon display of the much-orchestrated politics without bitterness which many thought impossible in our time and clime. Afterall politics is about service to the people through responsible representation.
We expect the political parties to continue this positive development because even opposition can be done responsibly without celebrating hatred and heating up the polity. Perhaps it should be noted that political opposition is not about going for the jugulars of members of other parties but ensuring service always.
As watch dogs of society, we can state without contradiction that the beleaguered people of Nigeria are tired of the antagonistic politics of the time. It is the desire of the people that politics be played honourably and in a manner devoid of rancour and acrimony to foster the much needed unity and national development.
Indeed, there is no gainsaying the fact that the country and everyone will be better for it, if the political parties would build on this good example of the PDP and truly cut down on the desecration of public offices in Nigeria.
What this means is that whatever one does either as politicians or as electorates, Nigerians must ensure that it is in the interest and good of all, and not on the basis of some partisan considerations that would not help to entrench the much needed democratic ethos in Nigeria.
Even as we congratulate the major parties for acts that are capable of building sound democratic culture in Nigeria, we cannot fail to note that the observance of internal democracy within the parties are very critical for party stability and political maturity.