Politicians and Politics of Decamping

The recent decamping by Zamfara state governor Alhaji Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi from ANPP to PDP have once again raised the dust on the morality of politicians switching parties, which most political analysts view as self-preservation and furthering of self interest in the political arena. The decamping bug seems to have sting the opposition ANPP more presently and there are speculations that the remaining ANPP governors may soon decamp to the ruling PDP.

This has led many prominent ANPP members to deny the speculation of decamping either to PDP or any other party. On his part Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, the governor of Kano state was quoted to have said that:” I sear to Almighty God, that even if I will be the last person to remain in ANPP, I will not decamp to any party. I rather resign from politics completely than to betray the trust given to us by Kano people on the platform of ANPP”. And he also remains the only ANPP governor in the North-west and it is also the zone that President Umaru Musa Yar’adua comes from, and Kano happens to be the centre of not only economic base but also the political hub of the whole of Northern Nigeria . If wishes were horses Yar’adua would have rode because of the hope that his party PDP will win Kano in 2011 elections.


Nigerian politics and politicians are flexible as such decamping, cross carpeting; sitting on the fence and sentiments constitutes the features of our present day politicians. With the inception of democratic rule from 1999, so many politicians have decamped with highest numbers of decampees before the 2003 elections from AD to PDP and majority of them are legislators at the national assembly. Late Alhaji Mala Kachalla, the former governor of Borno state, also decamped from ANPP to AD.


Sitting on the fence caused Prince Abubakar Audu, former governor of Kogi state, Late Admiral Mohammed Lawal (Rtd), former governor of Kwara state, and Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu, former governor of Gombe state, all former governors under the platform of ANPP to lose their seats in 2003 elections. And sentimental support of all former AD governors, with exception of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos state, also led them to lose their seats in the course of assisting their kinsman, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to have a second term.


Also , before the 2007 elections , former governors Saminu Turaki of Jigawa state and Adamu Aliero of Kebbi state , decamped from ANPP to PDP and are now Senators with the later now serving as FCT minister. Governors Jonah Jang, Murtala Nyako, Magatakarda Wammako , Aliyu Akwe Doma , Saidu Dakingari are all former gubernatorial candidates of ANPP or card-carrying members, but after their decamping to PDP they achieved their ambitions of becoming respective governors of their states. Also Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state decamped from PDP to ANPP, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia state decamped from PDP to PPA and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state from AD to AC. While former Governors Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa decamped from ANPP to DPP, Orji Uzo Kalu from PDP to PPA and Bola Tinubu from AD to AC. And even the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, decamped from PDP to AC to contest for 2007 presidential elections.


The list of decampees is long from member of state Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate. Also among prominent decampees are Prince Vincent Ogulafor , Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, Chief Audu Ogbeh , Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Hajiya Najatu Mohammed , Madam Titi Ajanaku , Senator Florence Ita Giwa , Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’abba , Late Chief Chuba Okadigbo , Late Chief Harry Marshall , Mr. Boni Haruna , Chief Joshua Dariye, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Dr. Chris Ngigie , Dr. Usman Bugaje, Senator Joseph Waku to mention but a few.


Decamping is not a big deal in the present Nigerian politics especially that the parties have no ideological bases as such politicians will continue to decamp as they continue to find suitable platforms to pursue their political ambitions. And decamping in Nigeria becomes necessary to politician if they feel that their party is going contrary to what they stand for or their party has treat them unfairly , which is the norm with most parties during primary elections a they are not free and fair.

Ideally it is not right for politicians to keep decamping, but there are times and situations that decamping is the right thing to do. We only raise eyebrows when a politician decamps to PDP not the other way round. Presently the supporters of General Muhammadu Buhari are calling on him to decamp from ANPP to another party which he is still reluctant, but has promised to decamped only when he cannot send Ume-Ezeoke/Kumo & co out of the party. Even former Vice President Atiku Abubakar after declaring his intention to contest for presidency in 2011 has not stated on which political platform he will contest the election.


Before now and 2011 elections Nigerians will again witness more decampings especially those to the ruling party , the PDP, which many prominent Northerners in the party are advocating for to enable President Yar’adua have a second term . It has been anticipated that most decamping to PDP will be from Northern part of Nigeria . The opposition AC will also receive a lot of decampees into its fold as it can serve as an alternative to challenge the ruling PDP. The party that will be most hit by mass exodus of decampees will be the ANPP presently listed among the opposition parties for administrative convience only.


When will our politicians stop decamping even when the party they left had provided for them a platform from which they occupy public offices? Are our political parties ideologically oriented or are just platforms to contest for public office? May be if we happen to be beyond the above stated questions our democracy will grow and provide a platform for all Nigerians to partake in nation building.


Presently, Nigerians should have a rethink about decampings as many have been frustrated by their own political parties, while others cannot realize their political ambition presently under their political parties. Some political parties, the way they are, will never provide the platform for effective opposition during next elections. As such for now, our politicians should be free to decamp either to other parties or new parties they may form.


We should accept that our parties are in the process of evolution as the dominant parties i.e PDP and ANPP are created with the purpose of taking over power from the military junta in 1999. Political parties created during the present democratic dispensation i.e. AC, PPA and APGA can have outlooks and internal mechanisms not similar to parties with purpose of taking over from the military.


Can General Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, Chief Orji Uzo Kalu, Dim Chukwumeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Prof Pat Utomi and their likes, decamp to a single party so as to confront the PDP as it is getting an upper hand toward turning Nigeria to a one-party state and its agenda for ruling Nigeria for 60 years? If politicians in the opposition are really serious about taking over from the PDP, then they have to do it together as a collective responsibility.


Nigerians should, at the present, not complain or frown at decamping. , rather they should even encourage it at this moment. Our politicians in the opposition should not relent in their efforts to woo others into their fold. Decampings should not be an issue when PDP is the party presently benefiting more, someday some other parties might enjoy enlargement of its fold with many decampees into their party.


Politicians in the opposition should be seen to be serious about playing their roles in our democratic dispensation. They should be on the field selling their parties to the general public, but not making any effort to win any to their sides and start complaining and crumbling that :” We are heading toward a one party -state will not solve the problem. Folding our arms is not the solution, let’s make this season a period of decamping to a platform that can stop our country to become a one-party state”.


Shehu Mustapha Chaji

shehuchaji@yahoo.com

08038222575