By Ugochi Ndukwe
It is a truism that in politics there are no permanent friends but permanent interests. One veritable instrument by which politicians give eloquent expression to this concept of permanent interests as against permanent friends is through cross-carpeting from one political platform to another whenever the individual’s interest is threatened or appears no longer protected by the platform.
Over the years, politicians in Nigeria have seen decamping from one political party to another as a tool for expressing dissatisfaction at intra-party matters but also when they lose party nominations for elective or appointive posts.
The current defection by various categories of politicians in the country has again confirmed their vulnerability to changing platforms even under questionable circumstances.
The cross-carpeting of the former governor of Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo readily comes to mind as it is a defection under questionable circumstance and seeks refuge from the eye of the anti-graft agency after being indicted as a beneficiary in the ongoing $2.1billion investigation.
In similar gesture, APC spokesman, Osita Okechukwu said that “Nwobodo entered APC through the window as a fugitive running from justice”.
Although the1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes the right of politicians to change platforms but Nigerian politicians are like sharks looking out for the smell of blood because since President Buhari assumed office, the fear of his rule has encapsulated the politicians in the opposition party.
The investigation however into the $2.1billion arms deal has set politicians on their heels as they begin to defect in large numbers to the All Progressive Congress, although same can be said about the APC defection to PDP before the 2015 general election; this movement can be attributed to lack of ideology and lack of honesty in services as they all do so in the interest of their selfish purposes.
The former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora shares same view on defection as has however regarded those involved in the recent defection to the APC as “shameful and Political prostitutes” claiming that they defect for convenience not conviction and has urged the party chairman not to make their cross-carpeting easy for them; “Defection should not be so easy. But hopefully, we will gravitate towards ideology”.