We Want Politics Without Rancour

In the Western world, a family could have its members registered in different political parties. This practice makes it possible for families not to be left out in the government’s scheme of things.
It is considered very healthy because members understand that the victory of any political party is a victory for the family. Therefore, rather than encouraging strife among themselves, the string of unity is strenghtened.
The result is that families continue to record progress and stability with every successive government, as its members stand the chance of being prominent in the ruling party. Here in Nigeria, the reverse is rather the case. It is considered foolish and stupid to have members of one family scattered in different political parties. And so, pockets of skirmishes greet our political consciousness.
There is hardly any election in Nigeria where violence is not employed as a winning tool. Regrettably, this so called violence is unleashed on people closely related to the perpetrators. Some times, members of same family.
Nigerians are fed up with this genre of politics that is being played in the country. If politics be seen as a Western concept adopted by the Third World, then let us adopt it in its totality.
It is important at this point to note that we do ourselves no good when we kill ourselves for the sake of politics. And like the proverbial eggs that need not be stored in one basket, so is it wise for members of one family to be registered in different political parties.
I therefore call on Nigerian politicians, to tread the political path of the developed world, so they could see reason to bequeathe a legacy of politics devoid of rancour.

By: Chioma Koyi, Port Harcourt.