By Obike Ukoh
Unarguably, political defections are one of the challenges to effective democracy and a functional political system in Nigeria. For now, it has become an unholy Nigerian political culture, which stakeholders say is a threat to political pluralism.
The first political defection in Nigeria occurred in 1951, when members of the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) defected and joined the Action Group (AG) to deny Nnamdi Azikwe, the power of the majority, paving the way for Obafemi Awolowo to become Premier of the Western Region.
After the 2023 Presidential Election and the emergence of Alhaji Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as President, Nigeria has witnessed mass defection of politicians unprecedented in its history.
Regrettably, there is no sense of morality, especially for elected political office holders. The decision to defeat is now personal, with no role to play by the electorate.
Mr Ariyo-Dare Atoye, Executive Director for Adopt a Goal for Development and co-convener for the Centre of Liberty, defined defection as an unthoughtful process and a distraction to democracy.
Atoye stressed that defection should be stopped so as to strengthen democracy. “Democracy in Nigeria needs to be strengthened by returning sanity to the system that has been bastardised by politicians”.
Also, the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, in a publication titled: From Political Pluralism to Party Predominance: Rethinking Defections in Nigeria’s Democracy, noted that Nigeria’s democracy faces a significant threat from the escalating trend of political defections, particularly the mass exodus to the APC.
Since the 2023 general elections, defections have surged, with prominent opposition politicians across all levels of government joining the APC. This has effectively dismantled opposition strongholds and significantly consolidated the ruling party’s power.
These opportunistic switches exploit constitutional loopholes, as current laws are rendered ineffective by INEC’s lack of enforcement authority and a judiciary that often enables these moves.
The implications of unregulated defections are dire: they undermine confidence in the electoral process, severely weaken the opposition’s ability to hold the government accountable, and limit legislative scrutiny, leading to unchecked executive overreach.
Ultimately, this narrows electoral choice, fosters voter disillusionment, and can deepen instability.’’
Need for urgent reforms was stressed, adding, “without reforms, Nigeria faces the risk of its elections becoming mere formalities, thereby placing the country’s democratic future in jeopardy.’’
At the main receiving end are the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), while three of the PDP governors have already defected to the APC.
The governors are those of Akwa Ibom, Delta and Enugu states.
The governors: Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and Peter Mbah of Enugu, all cited the crises rocking the party as reasons for defection.
Commenting on the gate of defection of its members, the PDP said the President Bola Tinubu-led APC government was determined to decimate the opposition as part of its plan to foist a one-party state on the country.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, was reacting to claims by a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, that two PDP governors would in the next few days defect to the APC.
He stressed that most of the defections were not voluntary but based on coercion, harassment, inducement, and intimidation.
The spokesperson of the PDP insisted that such forced defections would not last, adding that the PDP was bigger than individual members, and that as some people were leaving, others were also joining the party.
“A party is not about individuals but all the people. We have more and more diverse people working for the PDP today. More and more people are returning to the PDP because it’s getting itself together.
“The defections you see today are instigated by inducement, harassment, coercion, intimidation, and I can assure that it won’t last,” he said.
Ologunagba, who also spoke after Mbah’s Tuesday, Oct. 14 defection, reiterated that governors’ defections do not necessarily impact negatively on the strength of the party, insisting that the strength lies with the people.
PDP is not in a coma; it is not in a vegetative state. Yes, we have challenges, some of which are external, but more damages are the ones within.
Former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and Chairman PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), said the mass defection to the APC confirms his earlier warning that the party’s agenda is to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
He warned that a one-party state is a prelude to autocracy and retrogression, and accused the APC of stifling opposition.
Wabara lamented that the democratic gains made under the PDP are being eroded under the current administration.
The former Senate president blamed the faulty and unreliable electoral system as being responsible for this political defection madness.’’ APC’s refusal to carry out electoral reforms that could guarantee free and credible polls is what is making some of the opposition members defect. This is more of coerced defection,’’ Wabara stressed.
The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, on his part, attributed the mass defections to poverty, accusing the APC of luring the former party leaders.
“The truth is that the APC-led Federal Government has weaponized poverty, insecurity, and, more importantly, they have targeted opposition parties and placed them in a chokehold, causing some people to defect for survival.
“Remember, there is no party that has not been in crisis for some time. Even the APC is not all rosy. This means that even in paradise, there are problems; even in the so-called paradise, they have their own internal issues.
‘’The reason the situation in the PDP is more obvious is that it is a party that the entire country is talking about, because it belongs to the people, not to godfathers and merchants.’’
Continuing, he noted, “The President Tinubu administration is doing everything it can to ensure that the APC remains the only party. They have mobilized resources and machinery to ensure there is no opposition in 2027.
‘’As a result, members who are not strong enough, not principled, or who couldn’t survive, are joining them.”
Contributing, Prof. Jonah Onuoha of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), said the gale of defections showed that Nigerian politicians lacked ideology, but were concerned about their personal interests.
These politicians are looking for platforms to win elections in 2027, as well as where the anti-graft agency EFCC will not come after them during or after their tenures. The defections are anchored on a survival strategy as politicians believe that being with the ruling party, their interests are protected and their sins are forgiven,’’ he said.
Onuoha expressed concern that the defections might affect the strength of the PDP, the main opposition party.
The don said that if nothing was done to check the mass defections, the country might drift into a one-party state in 2027, which he said was unhealthy.
Dr Chinedu Ejezie, also of the Department of Political Science, UNN, said the defections were uncalled for, as a governor does not need to be in the ruling party to perform.
He listed Oyo, Anambra and Abia governors, who are performing though they are not in the ruling party.
Ejezie stressed that what a governor needs to win re-election is good governance.
With the unstoppable movement in droves to the ruling party, the question the electorate will like answered: “ Whom were their votes for, the party or the candidates?
Are they still relevant after voting, since the candidates they voted for can arbitrarily switch parties, without their consent?
These are very difficult questions, which, undoubtedly, electoral reforms will resolve.
