ELECTION  time is usually no ordinary period for Nigerians, especially the political class. It is a period of uneasy calm and of doubtful probabilities. It is a period when postulations fail and nothing else is certain.

Pre-poll indicators which determine results easily in other climes often fail that conventional charge here.
Not a few people see politicians as men of doubtful scruples capable of some invidious contrivance to reach their targets.

“Politicians,” wrote Fredrick Forsythe in The Devil’s Alternative, “have little enough objection to loss of life provided that they personally cannot be seen publicly to have had anything to do with it”. A good number being so disposed have continued to gravitate to undignified schemes to remain in positions of authority.

They asphyxiate us with their ubiquitous presence in political circles, sparing no thoughts on their contributions, however, useless to the making of a sane society.

A typical Nigerian politician abandons the people once elected into office to pursue other interests. He only returns at the expiry of the tenure to ask for votes, citing imaginary projects, and making unrealistic promises.

Such politicians have their eyes set on the perks of office rather than what they can do to make society a better place.

The recent political violence recorded in Anambra State when the Accord Party senatorial candidate for Anambra Central district, Chief Annie Okonkwo, campaigned in Eke Awka market like all similar crises elsewhere has an imprimatur of a typical Nigerian politician. Impatient and ever-determined to apply force where reason would readily prevail.

That singular act almost torpedoed the efforts the Obi administration has made to entrench peace in the State after a long period of unrest. That one moment of indiscretion has marked the Senator out as desperate.  Just as the campaign train of Dr. Ngige almost bulldozed its way into the Onitsha main market against the dictates of the traders. But for the timely intervention of the police blood would have issued forth.

On Eke Awka campaign disturbance, the story has it that an APGA faithful defied security detail to assail Chief Okonkwo. He was said to have charged at the Senator and hit him with a machete, while chanting APGA song at the campaign ground. In an attempt to disarm him he was said to have been shot twice by the Senator’s security detail.

So far there are conflicting reports as to whether he survived the unfortunate incident or not. The question everybody has asked was how it was possible for a machete-wielding assailant to run ring of the intimidating security detail of the Senator and hit him?

What purpose would that serve? And whose charge was he executing? Why would APGA, the party alleged to have instigated the assailant suddenly turn violent after many years of peaceful co-existence with other parties in the State? Is the senatorial election more important than the governorship of February 2010, which the party’s candidate Mr. Peter Obi contested and won without recourse to violence?

Anambra State is peaceful today not without the efforts of the Peter Obi administration. His administration has painstakingly indulged every reasonable Anambrarian in the onerous task of rebuilding the State without necessarily compromising its progress.

Recall that at the dawn of democracy in 2009, the State was unfortunate to be entrusted under the charge of the Peoples Democratic Party’s party government.  The large scale impunities spawned as a consequence of the party’s undisciplined leadership brought the State to some disrepute and made it to attract negative press.

Anambra became a byword for god father-related-crimes. Nothing worked in the State then. Workers were owed salaries, schools were shut and there were extra-judicial killings. In terms of infrastructural development, the State failed abysmally.

Her regrettable past record of under-development which characterized the periods of past administrators and governors in the State prevailed. States created alongside it developed while Anambra was bogged down by crises.

The emergence of Peter Obi as the Governor of the State brought a sigh of relief. The peaceful disposition of his government brought progress to the State. With peace, other sectors of the economy began to develop at the same time.

A dispassionate observer even if he is not well disposed to his government, would be magnanimous enough to give Mr. Obi an unstinting credit for ensuring that there is peace. It takes a peaceful person to work out a peaceful environment. The State has since exited the part of negative press and has worked out appreciable development.

That is why the latest breach at the Eke Awka campaign rally was an unmitigated blow to the sensibilities of Ndi Anambra who have enjoyed almost five years of peaceful environment.

BY IKE UME ATUANA , a commentator on national  issues,writes from Awka, Anambra State,.