SHAMEFUL DEFECTIONS AND PARTY POLITICS IN NIGERIA

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It is most unfortunate that our politicians demonstrate a total lack of ideological leaning on the political parties, which they belong. Most of those who decamped and defected recently after the presidential elections are obviously driven by ulterior motives and intent to use the political parties as mere political platforms to achieve self-seeking and egocentric political relevance.

Politicians in Nigeria have reduced political parties to mere electoral and political hustling platforms rather than real political parties, shaped by beliefs and ideologies. There is no doubt that these politicians do not have passion for service. They are definitely not patriotic. They are political jobbers and opportunists whose primary objective is to take undue advantage of every political situation to sustain their selfish political ambitions. They lack principles, integrity and morality. They are indeed stomach politicians.

It is very unfortunate that the challenge with our democratic process in Nigeria is not just about the development of the electoral process, but notably about the development of the attitude of the political actors. Without doubt the attitude of the actors is most critical in the entrenchment of democratic framework in our country.

To develop democracy, the game of politics must be shaped by the principles of integrity, morality and ideology. The whole business of participating in politics must have some ethical basis. It is repugnant to see politicians frivolously and indiscriminately decamping, because their party lost elections and feel that the other party is now a better platform. It is indeed a shame and obvious that we have a long way to go building democracy. There has to be a lot of attitudinal change.

The more anyone engages in political prostitution, the more irrelevant he makes himself in any political landscape. It is good to learn to stick to one party and struggle within to right whatever wrongs that are perceived in such a party. If not you will soon be seen as one with neither philosophy nor principle. I hope others will learn from the travails of Tom Ikimi and Atiku Abubakar.   

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