The recent All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention drew criticism from many Nigerians, largely due to complaints from some delegates, teargassing, accommodation issues, and other logistical challenges.
While some of these situations may seem amusing, they are not unusual for a political event of this scale. Despite dissatisfaction among many citizens with the ruling APC, the scenes witnessed at the Abuja convention are common in large national programs of any political party in Nigeria.
Crowd control is never easy. Managing large groups of people is always challenging, even when organizers make proper arrangements. Human behavior is unpredictable, and such situations can occur in any setting where many people gather.
The convention should not be seen as a show of shame or evidence of incompetent leadership. The issues observed were not signs of poor planning or a haphazardly organized event. The challenges arose largely from an overflow of participants something that could happen to any political party during a crowd-attracting event.
Nigerians should not view the APC convention as a disgrace simply because it did not meet expectations.
Historically, such chaos is not unique to the APC. For example, in 2006, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward congresses were marred by irregularities and crises. Clashes among party leaders led to parallel congresses in some states. In Opokuma, Bayelsa State, a police officer was allegedly shot dead during the November 4, 2006 congress. Aspirants hijacked exercises in several states, resulting in violence.
Even in Abia State, the late Vincent Ogbulafor, former PDP National Chairman, revealed that the congress in Umuahia North was disrupted by violence reportedly sponsored by a gubernatorial aspirant. In Kwara State, the congress was allegedly hijacked to favor Bukola Saraki, former Senate President.
The APC may have its shortcomings, but Nigerian politics is inherently dynamic. The country has not yet reached a stage where large political events can be entirely free of disorder. Our political process continues to experience fraud and occasional violence. Politics has moved beyond being just a game; it now involves complex challenges that test party structures and leadership.
For Nigerian politics to mature, political parties need stronger ideologies and better internal structures rather than relying solely on personalities or power struggles. With these reforms, party politics in Nigeria could become more orderly, fair, and well-practiced.
