John Odigie-Oyegun, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has raised alarm over the increasing trend of defections, resignations and party hopping among political leaders, describing the development as a reflection of deeper problems in the country’s political system.
The former governor said this on Sunday while speaking in Benin, Edo State. He said the frequent movement of politicians from one party to another after disagreements raises questions on the commitment of the country’s political class to national development and the welfare of citizens.
Odigie-Oyegun said that the increasing rate of political leaders defecting from their parties points to the fact that the nation’s democratic structure is yet to address the fundamental issues.
He said that in his opinion, the attitude of some politicians does not seem to be driven by a real desire to solve the problems facing Nigerians including economic hardship and insecurity.
“If political actors really wanted to rescue the country and improve the lives of citizens, we wouldn’t be witnessing much of the political realignment going on now ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he said.
The ADC stalwart observed that the political class seemed to be out of touch with realities on ground facing the ordinary Nigerians, adding that its actions often didn’t reflect true commitment to national progress.
“If political leaders were really inspired by the desire to save the country, many of the things we are witnessing as the build-up to the 2027 elections would not have happened,” he said.
He argued that the focus should be on solving pressing national problems, not on political machinations that did little to improve the lives of the people.
Odigie-Oyegun also urged opposition figures across the country to consider their motives and determine whether what they are doing is truly to assist suffering Nigerians.
He stressed the need for opposition leaders to stay on course to providing solutions to the country’s challenges instead of narrow political ambitions.
The former governor, however, was confident in the prospects of the opposition, despite his concerns, saying that the creation of a level playing field and strong institutions could create the conditions for a change in political leadership.
If the electoral process and state institutions work fairly and transparently, the opposition can even defeat the ruling party,” he said.
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