Defections In NASS: Democracy’s Finest Hour

By Tunde Abatan

Contrary to what many believe concerning the rupture in the ruling party -the APC’s Tuesday’s defection of 14 senators to the PDP to me is good for democracy.

Before now, the party has been at war with itself and the unraveling in the National Assembly (NASS) is akin to separating the chaff from the wheat.

There is a limit to which you can keep and maintain a divided house pretending all is well.

The two tendencies have merely gone their separate ways.
Hence, from now on our politics have to be based on ideology.

The APC came together as strange bed -fellows to capture power and it’s unraveling is good for democracy.
The next election will separate the boys from the men as the legislators who defected today may have to test their popularity in their constituencies and in their new parties and ultimately at the polls since they would struggle to pick the PDP ticket with those on ground in PDP.

The legislators have merely returned to where they belong and where their hearts and soul mates were.

Hence, this development reinforce the need to imbibe ideology in our politics such that there is need for clear-cut political differences based on parties programme and policies.

Before yesterday’s action, the two ruling parties to me are different sides of the same coin.
But perhaps now, those left in the ruling APC could sit down and redefine their political focus and goal.

This doesn’t seem to be clear with the rancorous house it dwelt in before yesterday’s separation between the contending forces.

As for the government, it would help it re-asses and reposition itself and have a distinct character if it intends to remain relevant to the nation in short of good leadership.

As for the defecting legislators, it is time for them too to struggle and reposition themselves in their former and original place of abode before their last adventure in 2015.

Their performance at the parties primaries and the 2019 polls will show their strength and relevance and portray their weaknesses before taking the plunge in 2015.

For the electorate and Nigerians, the defections have afforded them to know their leaders and their worth and character in representing and serving them in the NASS or any other position both now and in future.

The latent development would also make President Muhammadu Buhari to learn and further appreciate the dynamics and inherent intrigues of party politics and internal power play on which he and his think -tank have been beaten twice.

In the end, democracy will be better for it as people will have to open their eyes and asses not based on bandwagon followership but on individual worth of their potential and future leaders.

Abatan is of the Media Career Development Centre, Lagos.