A cross-section of Nigerians, including legal practitioners and concerned citizens, have renewed calls on the National Assembly to enact a law that would automatically strip defecting politicians of their seats.
The call, which gained traction during early morning phone-in programmes on Sparkling FM and FAD FM in Calabar, underscored growing frustration over what many described as “unprincipled political cross-carpeting” undermining Nigeria’s democracy.
A Notary Public and Director-General of Good Governance Advocacy International, Barrister Leonard Anyogo, joined the conversation, insisting that elected officials who abandon the political parties that brought them to power should face immediate forfeiture of their mandates.
“It is highly desirable that our laws be amended to make politicians lose their seats if defection occurs,” Anyogo asserted. “However, it is still the electorate who ultimately decide who gets elected or re-elected, as defection does not guarantee electoral success.”
Some of the callers, including Mrs Tina Akpan, a teacher, and Mr Jim Ete, a social worker, decried the rising tide of defections across political parties, warning that the practice was fast eroding Nigeria’s multi-party system and weakening democratic competition.
Mrs Akpan expressed concern that the unrestrained defections could plunge the country into a de facto one-party system.
“We’re facing a dangerous situation,” she lamented. “When the ruling party becomes too powerful, it turns dictatorial and authoritarian. This is no longer the democracy that guarantees free speech and association.”
Mr Ete alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) often lures opposition politicians into its fold, thereby stifling political pluralism. “Continuous defections will leave voters with no meaningful alternatives at the polls,” he said.
Anyogo further urged the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, to strengthen electoral credibility and ensure the sanctity of the ballot, noting that Nigerians were becoming more discerning and now vote based on individuals rather than party affiliation.
