APC Vs PDP: Who Defection Epp?

The last few weeks of recent Nigerian politics have turned out to be quite interesting with several lawmakers in the National Assembly and a few governors declaring their defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress. Over a dozen senators, 37 House of Representatives members and three governors - Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Samuel Ortom of Benue, and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto - defected from the APC to the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and of course, the newly licensed African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In the ensuing debacle, the defection of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki from the APC to the PDP seems to have swung the biggest blow on the ruling party. Although Saraki's impending shift of base was perceived for a long time, what many did not see coming was the sudden dramatic defection of the Senate minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio from the PDP to the APC.

The recent defection of lawmakers seems to have just marked another season of cross-carpeting that has become a usual part of our politics. This has been a reoccurring trend in Nigeria, usually experienced few months to general elections when politicians begin to fall out with their parties, and then shift in search of platforms that better serve their personal interests and ambitions.

Since the First Republic politicians have been known to ditch their parties, once they presume their interests are no longer served. In Nigeria, defection reportedly dates back to the pre-independence era, 1951 to be precise, when 20 out of the 42 members of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) legislators defected to the Action Congress (AG) just to prevent Nnamdi Azikiwe from winning the majority in the Western Regional Assembly. The late Chief  Ladoke Akintola, the Premier of the defunct Western Region, also defected from the AG following disagreements with Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to form the United People's Party (UPP).

In subsequent republics, the phenomena of defections, cross-carpeting and shifts in political allegiance never went away, but reached a highlight when a few months to the 2015 general elections, tens of prominent PDP members decamped to the APC.

Viewed in perspective, the recent gale of defections are worrisome and portray Nigerian politicians as selfish, myopic and visionless. Politicians may want to sell us some 'cock and bull' story as reasons for dumping one party for another, but we all know that it always has nothing to do with service, but purely of selfish interests. This point was even being reiterated by a leader of the APC caucus in the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila who stated that the quest for automatic tickets for the 2019 general elections was behind the recent wave of defections that hit his party weeks ago in the lower legislative chamber.

APC and PDP are birds of a feather, one not in any way better than the other. Both the PDP and APC have failed Nigerians, and it is obvious that none of these politicians is defecting in the interest of the people of their constituencies. Their cross-carpeting only gives credence to the regular aphorism that in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies, but permanent interests.

Political parties in Nigeria are clearly bereft of clear-cut ideology, hence no distinction between one party and the other. Their activities every day exposes them as a group of people who only came together to take power. For ambitious politicians, parties are merely seen as vehicles for political survival and access to power. Perhaps, their only ideology is winning elections at all cost, hence it is easy for a politician to quickly switch from one party to the other without a second thought. Nigerian politicians are like nomads who can be in one place today, and another the next day, and so it would be a mistake on our part to assume they (except for a few) are men of principle.

The drama that has followed the litany of defections has not in any way made Nigeria or Nigerians better. It is not difficult to see that none of it has anything to do with finding a headway in solving the many problems that have bedevilled the country.

Who gains from defection? Perhaps my question will be better understood when asked in our local parlance, 'who defection epp?' Politicians are definitely the only beneficiaries. Not their constituents, not their people, and definitely not the nation.

In advance climes, elected officers expectedly have consultations with the people who elected them before defecting from a party. That is not the case in Nigeria,  where politicians have appropriated to themselves the rights and fortunes of the people, while also putting their own interests ahead of the peoples'.

Nigerian politicians and their shameless behaviours, especially these recent defections and planned impeachments, always seem to find a way to dominate the news space, but I fail to see how these issues are of the interest and benefit of the common Nigerians. Until defection beams an indication that roads will be repaired, electricity stabilised, inflation reduced, cost of living improved and food readily affordable, we remain unconcerned.

While Saraki, Akpabio and their likes are busy celebrating their defection, what goes on in the mind of the common man are questions like, does a lawmaker become a better lawmaker when he switches from one party to the other? Does defection result to better legislation? Does a politician become more sensitive to the plight of the masses when he defects to another party? Will defection bring about an end to the insecurity crises? Will defection help put an end to the brutality of SARS officers? Will defection bring about a cut in the outrageous earnings of politicians? Will defection lead to better governance and better economic policies that will solve the problems of electricity, healthcare, unemployment, living condition, etc.

I'm sure we all know the answer to these questions, and certainly, jumping from APC to PDP will not make a mischievous and flamboyant senator like Dino Melaye become a more responsible lawmaker or force him to quit his laughable and attention-seeking antics.

As of now, there seems to be no end in sight to the merry-go-round defections as there will be many more defections in the coming months ahead of the 2019 elections.

As we advance towards an election year,  politicians are sure to approach the electorates with all sorts of manifestos and promises just to ignite the enthusiasm of the masses through emotional sloganeering. This tradition of unending pledges is one of the several gimmicks used by politicians who have held the country hostage for decades, just to continue to have us remain slaves to their corrupt and unscrupulous ways. 2019 should mark an end to the patronage of the same old politicians who have oppressed and short-changed us for many years with their political trickery.

From here on, we owe it a duty to ourselves and the coming generations to not succumb to the deceptions of these politicians who hardly know the reason why they are running for office and are seeing nothing but the jumbo size earnings that awaits them when in office.

Fellow compatriots, It is time to elect in people of integrity, people with vision and bright ideas as to how we can get out of the socio-economic quagmire which we have found ourselves in, and finally do away with politicians who have misconstrued political power as the easiest avenue to enrich themselves and their ilk. 

Victor Enengedi, Editor at Tori.ng can be reached via Twitter: @iamkuffz, email: [email protected]

Source:

https://www.tori.ng/news/104712/apc-vs-pdp-who-defection-epp.html