Defections Are Bound To Occur Close To Election Year, Says Ogunye

A legal practitioner, Jiti Ogunye, has said that the defection of lawmakers from a party to another is bound to occur close to every election year.

Ogunye stated this on Tuesday night during his appearance on Channels Television’s News At 10.

“It has always been like this when elections are approaching. It is like what happened in 2015 before the general elections,” he said.

Ogunye’s reaction comes hours after some lawmakers elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly dumped their party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Of the 14 senators that defected on Tuesday, 13 opted for PDP while one is undecided on which party to join.

Senator Dino Melaye, former Governor of Kano Rabiu Kwankwaso, Suleiman Hunkuyi, who was suspended by the Kaduna APC, Abdulazeez Nyako (Adamawa), Barnabas Gemade (Benue), and Ibrahim Dambaba were among those who defected.

Others are Senators Shaaba Lafiaji (Kwara), Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara), Monsurat Sunmonu (Oyo) and Usman Nafada (Gombe) Ubale Shittu, Isah Misau, Suleiman Nazif, and Soji Akanbi.

Similarly, in the House of Representatives, 33 lawmakers joined the PDP while four joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The defecting Reps are Danburam Nuhu, Mark Gbilah, Razak Atunwa, Ahmed Garba Bichi, Abdulsamad Dasuk and Zakari Mohammed, Sani Rano, Barry Mpigi, Ali madaki, Dickson Tackighir, Hassan Saleh.

Also, the Chairman of Rules and Business at the House of Representatives, Orker Jev has resigned from the APC but is yet to disclose which party he would be joining.

But Ogunye believes a situation whereby the politicians decide to leave the party that brought them into power for another is not good for Nigeria’s democracy

He, however, blamed the act on the perceived selfishness of some political figures rather than the desire to serve the people they represent.

“Politicians in Nigeria and this is very sad for us, are always interested in hunting for platforms and tickets and since the name of the game is power, and not ideology or adherence to party lines, oppositions are going to have something like this always,” he added.

Ogunye also disagreed with the comments made by APC’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, that neither he nor the party would lose some sleep over the development.

He argued that the party was obviously worried some few days back but it was “only trying to pull a bold face to it.”

The lawyer feels that events in the coming days would determine whether the mass defection would affect the chances of the ruling party in next year’s general elections.