A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and political affairs analyst, Dr. George Agbakahi has said that the flurry of defections into the ruling APC by opposition governors and nationwide Meeting members and others, was as a result of sterling efficiency of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He additionally stated the detectors need to save their political profession from the sinking events.
Agbakahi, who’s South East chief of Tinubu Assist Group and member of 2023 Presidential Marketing campaign Council (PCC) Media and Publicity Directorate, defined that removed from political survival or lack of ideology, the defectors had to consider their political survival on condition that the opposition events just like the Peoples Democratic Half, PDP, and Labour Social gathering, LP are both in life assist or bleeding badly.
Talking on the event, in an Come up Tv present affairs programme, which was monitored in Abuja by our reporter, Dr. George Agbakahi, said that defection will not be a brand new factor in Nigerian politics and even in america of America, whose democracy Nigeria is copying.
“Politically talking, political alliance, realignment and alignment are all main options of multi-party democracy and it’s been ongoing since time immemorial. It’s not solely in Nigeria, it’s a worldwide difficulty.
“Going to america, you keep in mind a serious world politician, President Donald Trump, he was as soon as a member of Democratic Social gathering someday in 2001 and 2009 earlier than he later decamped to the Republican Social gathering, and now he’s the President of that nice nation, United States of America.
“Within the Nigerian context, you keep in mind within the Second Republic, it was Abubakar Rimi being the primary governor that defected from PRP to NPP. So it’s ongoing. I keep in mind vividly in the course of the Obasanjo regime or in the direction of the tip of the regime; that was 2007 election when PDP gained about 28 governorship seats and later 4 governors defected to the occasion.
“I consider that point we solely had AD (Alliance for Democracy) successful in Lagos state, the present President was the governor; the then ANPP (All Nigeria Peoples Social gathering) successful in Borno, Kano, Yobe and I feel one different state.
“What I’m saying is that this, defection in a political system will not be an aberration, this has began way back. So all these governors or senators or honourable members which are defecting to the ruling occasion within the nation, the APC, there may be nothing disingenuous or cynical about it,” Agbakahi said.
He cited Part 68 of the 1999 Structure, which he stated made it clear that if one defects to a different occasion, the individual loses his or her seat in case of lawmakers.
“However individuals need to do not forget that that very same Part 68 Sub 1(g), there’s a little little bit of ambiguity in there within the sense that in case you are defecting to a different occasion when your occasion is in disarray you might be justified.
“That’s why you have got by no means seen any court docket of regulation in Nigeria that has eliminated any politician, be you a member of the Home of Reps or senate or governor that has defected, besides when his or her occasion will not be in turmoil,” he stated.
He famous that other than the disaster of their events, the governors and different defectors are defecting due to the efficiency of President Tinubu.
“So, one of many causes for my part a few of these governors are defecting to the APC might be due to the great work the president is doing. The financial system has circled and I see these defections, significantly the one in Enugu state, which is without doubt one of the main states, in all probability the capital of South East.
“If you speak concerning the 5 states there, I see it as an affirmation and utmost proclamation of the renewed hope agenda of the present authorities. That signifies that his insurance policies, all of the initiatives are working. The financial system is popping round, the inflation is coming right down to in all probability about 18.12 % now, and our overseas reserve has gone as much as about 43 billion {dollars}, there’s a commerce surplus, in order that’s why I see them defecting,” he added.
The APC chieftain maintained that the occasion can be doing loads to enhance stability and unity within the occasion as a way to overcome some shortcomings which may include such large defections within the occasion like the way in which the occasion is managing such points in Delta state between contending events.
“However the factor concerning the Enugu defections, it’s instructive to notice that in Enugu state the governor didn’t defect alone, he defected with nearly the whole political construction. However extra importantly, all the previous governors, Ugwuanyi, Sullivan Chime and doubtless Chimaroke; they’re all defecting enmass to the APC. So it is a large increase for the APC not solely in Enugu state but additionally the South East,” he stated.
He stated that APC is now entrenched in Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states, whereas the governors of Anambra and Abia states, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and Alex Otti respectively have pledged to assist President Tinubu as a result of his insurance policies and imaginative and prescient intertwined with theirs.
Whereas dismissing insinuations in some quarters that the defections have been for lack of ideology, political survival or for private curiosity as in opposition to the curiosity of the individuals, Dr. Agbakahi cited the instance of Enugu state, who gave his causes for defection because the alignment in his imaginative and prescient and insurance policies with that of President Tinubu.
“The governor of Enugu state or considered one of his spokespeople got here on tv and stated that PDP was not taking Enugu state critically. He got here once more and stated that his imaginative and prescient in Enugu state is interwoven with that of Mr. President. He once more went so far as saying that they don’t need to stick with the sinking ship, the PDP.
“Everyone knows what has been occurring in PDP. PDP for fairly a while has been on life assist. It is a occasion that can’t get its acts collectively, a celebration that can’t conduct a conference, they’re in court docket, they’re combating,” he said.
He stated {that a} related chaotic state of affairs obtains within the Labour Social gathering the place Abure and Nenadi Usman are combating for supremacy.
“Like I stated the financial system has circled, even the meals costs are coming down. I went to the market final time and purchased a bag of rice for about N62, 000. I keep in mind round this time final yr I purchased it for round N84, 000.
“I’m a center class man. After I go to the market, one moodu of garri is N1,100. I keep in mind by this time final yr it was N1,500 to N1,600. Meals costs are coming down due to the daring insurance policies and initiatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that’s what you see taking place,” he maintained.
