2015 ELECTIONS, APC ESCHEWS VIOLENCE.

Icheoku says it is quite commendable for the APC to come out forcefully  to   eschew violence in the forthcoming 2015 election. With Sheikh Gumi, President Jonathan and now the APC clearly decrying violence, it is now less  likely that there will be violence in the election; provided these people meant what they said and said what they meant. Nigerians should therefore expect to see a violence-free election come February 14, 2015 when they will choose their leaders for the respective offices.  Icheoku says way to go APC and this goes to show that Nigerians and their democracy are steadily maturing; and that they have come to agree that no election is worth the life of any Nigerian. 

Here now is the APC undertaking to desire zero violence in election 2015:- “We have heard from Nigerians who are so afraid about possible violence during the forthcoming election that they are even willing to relocate to other countries until after the elections. But, as the biggest opposition party in Nigeria and a major stakeholder in our nation's democracy, we are assuring, on our part, that there will be no violence. Though our party has no history of violence, we have commenced a nationwide effort to sensitize our members and supporters to the need to eschew rancor and embrace non-violent methods, even in the face of the kind of provocations to which we were subjected during the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, when our members were needlessly harassed, arrested and detained by partisan security agencies acting under orders from the Federal Government. 

If the Federal Government allows a level playing field for all contestants, if the security agencies stop acting as the armed wing of the ruling PDP, if the electoral umpire will carry out its duties without fear, favor or bias and if citizens are allowed to exercise their franchise unmolested, the stage will be set for non-violent, free, fair and credible polls. In other words, the government has a major role to play in making the forthcoming polls peaceful. On our part, in addition to other efforts aimed at ensuring a peaceful election, we pledge to accept the result of an election that is not only free, fair, credible and transparent, but one that is also seen to be so. We hope other parties will make a similar pledge.”

Icheoku says it very nice indeed that the APC did this and agrees with the APC that 'elections should be 'a celebration of democracy, rather than a moment of fear, violence and threat to lives.' Icheoku also agrees that a meeting of the leadership of the two political parties, the APC and the PDP, will send a powerful message to compatriots and indeed the international community and help douse the tension that is building up ahead of the election.” Icheoku says this is a good step in the right direction as no violence takes place unless it is authorized or impliedly so authorized by people in authority over the urchins that ferment these violence; but once people in leadership positions makes it clear to their followers that they do not want violence, there will be no violence. All the best Nigerians as you accelerate towards February 14, 2015, the day you will decide who rules you.