A former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, has criticised the spate of defections among Nigerian politicians, describing the trend as an “abomination” that undermines democratic stability.
Obong Attah, who served as governor between 1999 and 2007, spoke on Thursday while featuring on The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on Arise Television.
He warned that frequent cross-carpeting between political parties erodes the foundation of governance and policy-making.
“If we have an unstable party situation in Nigeria, we will have an unstable policy, and we will end up with an unstable nation,” Attah said.
He argued that the phenomenon has had damaging effects on Nigeria’s democratic development.
“I attribute the rise in defections within Nigeria’s politics to the Peoples Democratic Party, as they were the ones who set this trend in motion,” he added.
Defections have been a recurring feature of Nigeria’s political landscape, often intensifying during election cycles. In the Fourth Republic, politicians frequently switch allegiance between the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition PDP, usually in pursuit of political advantage or protection.
Although Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution provides that legislators who defect from the party under which they were elected should forfeit their seats, the law has often been inconsistently applied. Court rulings and political compromises have enabled many defectors to retain their positions, further entrenching the practice.
Attah’s remarks come at a time when defections continue to dominate Nigeria’s political discourse.
In recent years, governors, lawmakers, and other high-profile figures have switched parties, reshaping alignments at both the state and national levels.
The former governor’s comments add to calls for reforms that would strengthen party ideology and discipline in Nigeria’s democracy.
— The PUNCH
