The recent decamping across Kogi State by stalwarts from APGA, PDP to APC have once again raised the dust on the morality of politicians switching parties, which most political analysts view as self-preservation and furthering of self interest in the political arena. Ironically, the decamping bug seems to have sting the opposition PDP more presently and there are speculations that the remaining members of PDP may soon decamp to the ruling APC.
Politicians in Kogi State are flexible as such decamping, cross carpeting; sitting on the fence and sentiments constitutes the features of our present day politicians. With the inception of democratic rule from 1999, so many politicians have decamped with highest numbers of decampees before the 2015 elections from PDP to APC and, also decamped from APC to APGA.
Ideally it is not right for politicians to keep decamping and changing political parties like under wears, but there are times and situations that decamping is the right thing to do . We only raise eyebrows when a politician decamps to APC not the other way round.
Before now and 2019 elections, we will again witness more decampings especially those to the ruling party, the APC, which many prominent Igala sons and daughters in the party are advocating for to enable Governor Yahaya Bello have a second term. The opposition APDA will also receive a lot of decampees into its fold as it can serve as an alternative to challenge the ruling APC.
When will our politicians stop decamping even when the party they left had provided for them a platform from which they occupy public offices? Are our political parties ideologically oriented or are just platforms to contest for public office? May be if we happen to view beyond the above stated questions our democracy will grow.
Presently, politicians should have a rethink about decampings as many have been frustrated by their own political parties, while others cannot realize their political ambition presently under their political parties. Some political parties, the way they are, will never provide the platform for effective opposition during next elections
Though other political parties are happy to release these political jobbers to the APC, I like to caution the original APC members to be wary of these characters who are distinguished by their political gimmicks.
Defection is only an option available to lazy politicians without base. Decampees are always a bunch of professional political jobbers, who are ever ready to play the script of their pay masters and comprised people of doubtful characters.
– Alfa Tijani
