LINUS CHIBUIKE & FOLASHADE KEHINDE
ANALYSTS have described the recent defections by key members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress as a warning sign that Nigeria’s democracy is under test.
The analysts, who spoke in separate interviews with The Point, argued that with the Nigerian socio-economic space at the lowest ebb in recent times, it was illogical that the party in Government would be attractive to politicians looking for a safe haven.
According to them, it is either many of the politicians do not think that the people’s votes or voices matter in general elections or they just want to belong to the ruling party to “desperately” cover “some suspicious tracks.”
A Lagos-based political analyst, Aderoju Adeniran, claimed that no right thinking Nigerian would say the APC still has a chance to rule the country in 2023.
According to him, all the indices are poor right now for Nigeria as a result of what he described as insensitivity and “parade of incompetent managers” by the current administration.
“How can a sane politician leave the opposition at this present time for a party that is known for compounding the woes of the power masses? It is either something is chasing them and they want to run away from it or they think Nigerians do not actually have a say in elections in this country,” he argued.
Another analyst, Aliyu Mohammed, however, said Nigerians should not be disturbed about the defection of politicians to the APC, mainly.
According to him, both APC and PDP have outlived their usefulness.
“I see purpose-driven realignments ahead of 2023 elections. The games have just started. Even the APC is not settled. Their caretaker committee is shaking, while the sacked National Working Committee members have gone to court. Let them continue decamping. They will crash together,” said Mohammed, a political science expert, based in Nasarawa State.
He said, “Inflation is rising, poverty level is increasing; Nigeria now has the highest number of malnourished children after Somalia; the economy has entered its worst recession in four decades; military men are killing innocent Nigerians anyhow; kidnappers have no respect for human lives anymore.
“While average Nigerians are grappling with being able to afford even one meal a day, a government is increasing fuel price and electricity tariff. We can go on and on. What then is the rationale behind moving to APC? It is all about selfishness and all these insensitive politicians will soon be disgraced.”
On her part, Okoli Margaret, an economist based in Canada, called on the Federal Government to be fair to all in their handling of corruption issues.
To her, the politicians who are defecting to the ruling party might be those seeking soft landing as regards some skeletons in their cupboards.
“The annoying thing is usually the reason they give for such defections. They must really think Nigerians are gullible. If the (President Muhammadu) Buhari administration is performing this way; if people are suffering this way, and Nigerians are seeing the cluelessness of those in charge of the country’s affairs, yet the party in power is attracting those who should know from other major parties, then it is not a good sign for our democracy,” she argued.
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, lawmaker representing Adamawa North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Elisha Abbo, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, are among key defectors from the PDP to the APC.
APC’S REACTION
In reaction to the recent wave of defections, the APC, in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said it was unfortunate that the PDP was pushing the country into a one-party state, because of the crisis rocking the party.
The APC said, “It is not surprising that progressive-minded members of the Peoples Democratic Party have been defecting enmasse from the opposition party to the All Progressives Congress in recent times.
“For a party unable to run its Secretariat, pay staff salaries and its leadership grappling with a crisis of confidence, it will be unfair to expect its progressive-minded members to remain in the PDP which has failed woefully as the supposed ‘main’ opposition party in Nigeria.
“It is disheartening that the PDP is pushing Nigeria into a largely one-party state. As a party that believes in democracy and progressive politics, the APC does not subscribe to this.”
THEY CAN’T RUN AWAY WITH OUR MANDATE – PDP
The PDP, on its part, has vowed to ensure those elected on its platform do not run away with its mandate.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said this when Abbo announced his defection during plenary on Wednesday.
He said the party had already commenced the process of replacing him in the Senate.
