An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Malam Abubakar Abdullahi, has stated that defections are an unavoidable aspect of Nigerian politics, citing various underlying factors that drive political shifts.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, Abdullahi explained that many politicians defect due to a desire for political protection.
“You see, in Nigerian politics, defections cannot be avoided. There are certain issues that force people to defect,” Abdullahi said, adding that the current generation of politicians, in his view, were more opportunistic than ideologically driven.
“The majority of the present crops of elected officials and political appointees are not well-bred politicians. They are just opportunists. Once they got elected or appointed, they indulged in all sorts of unruly behaviors, leading them to commit a lot of atrocities,” he remarked.
Abdullahi, who serves as the secretary of former All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) members within the APC, argued that defections often serve as a way for politicians to evade repercussions for alleged corrupt practices and other offenses.
“Most of them will be running helter-skelter, looking for where to hide,” he said, emphasizing that many defections were driven by self-interest and personal security rather than principle.
Despite his concerns, Abdullahi reassured him that these defections would not pave the way for a one-party state. He predicted that ultimately, the defectors would betray those who had supported them.
He also expressed frustration with the actions of Nigeria’s political elites, accusing them of manipulating the system for personal gain, thereby harming the broader population. Abdullahi called for a shift in attitudes and value systems to address these challenges and improve the political landscape.
