Gale of defections: Matters arising

The last few weeks have witnessed series of defections mostly in favour of the two major political parties; the ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this piece, BODE OLAGOKE, takes a look at the politics of defection across all the tiers of the government
The nation recently witnessed a major political upheaval in the National Assembly with several legislators cross carpeting to parties other than the ones on which platform they were elected. Also at the last count, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ioraer Ortom has left APC to the PDP. The news is not different in most states assembly particular in Sokoto, Benue, Kwara, Kano amongst others. The defection also affected several local government chairmen and councillors across the nation. Affected Senators Names of Senators who defected as listed in a joint letter written to that effect and read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki are Dino Melaye ( Kogi West), Barnabas Gemade ( Benue North East), Abdullahi Danbaba ( Sokoto South), Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi ( Kwara North), Rafiu Ibrahim ( Kwara South) and Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North). Others are , Hamman Isa Misau ( Bauchi Central), Monsurat Sunmonu ( Oyo Central), Usman Bayero Nafada( Gombe North), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso ( Kano Central) , Suleiman Nazif ( Bauchi North) , Lanre Tejuoso ( Ogun Central) and Abdulaziz Nyako ( Adamawa Central). Also, the members of the House of Representatives who defected to the opposition party include Hon. Aliyu Madaki (Kano), Hon. Razak Atunwa (Kwara), Hon. Danburam Abubarkar Nuhu (Kano) Hon. Hassan Saleh (Benue), Hon. Mark Gbillah (Benue), Hon. Aminu Shagari (Sokoto) Hon. Princess Funke Adedoyin (Kwara), Hon.Tope Olayonu (Kwara) Hon Nasiru Sule (Kano) and Hon. Sani Rano (Kano). Some others are: Hon. Aliyu Pategi (Kwara), Hon. Zakari Mohammed (Kwara), Hon. Dickson Tackgir (Benue), Hon. Bode Ayorinde (Ondo), Hon. Nasiru Garo (Kano), Hon. Hassan Omale (Kogi) and Hon. Rufai Chanchangi (Kaduna) Hon Salisu Zakari (Bauchi), Hon. Sani Zorro (Jigawa), Hon Shehu Usman (Kano) and Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki (Sokoto) Hon. Barry Mpigi (Rivers) and Abubakar Kannike (Kwara). The defectors list also include Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi (Oyo), Hon Lawal Shuaibu (Taraba). Hon. Benjamin Okolo (Kogi), Hon. Emmanuel Udende (Benue),Hon.Oker Jev (Benue),Hon Musa Adostamiyu (Kogi) Hon. Sunday Adepoju (Oyo) Hon. Taiwo Michae (Oyo) and Hon. Olasupo Abiodun (Oyo) and Hon. Olugbeni Samson (Oyo) amongst others. Resisted the temptation to defect But as it is often said, twenty four hours is a long time in politics and true to the saying a few of the defected legislatures have retraced their steps, with two of the senators; Senator Soji Akanbi and Senator Lanre Tejuosho returning to APC while senators Monsurat Summonu and Abdulaziz Nyako refused to join PDP. The contest for majority Though there were wide jubilation in the opposition camp as it was believed that the APC has lost the majority at the senate but the Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan disclosed that despite the defection of some Party members during Tuesday’s plenary, it still retained the majority. According to the breakdown he provided, APC has 53 members while PDP now has 49 members. Both African Democratic Congress (ADC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have three and two respectively. Akpabio’s uncommon defection But before the opposition PDP could set stage for the celebration of it addition, a big blow came and its Minority leader in the Senate announced his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, one defevtion that has been described as “uncommon defection.” For now the game is changing. Gradually the ruling APC is regaining its strength even with last weekend bye elections in Katstina and Bauchi. For now the ruling party is having majority at the upper chamber. Saraki must resign or be impeached – Oshiomohle Though, APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiohmole said that he will not lose sleep over the defection of the legislators, even as the party insist that the Senate President Bukola Saraki must resign or be impeached, however, the party thinks the doors is still open and that it will explore all options to ensure that the decamped members return. Oshiomohle said: “We saw Senator Godswill Akpabio who was the PDP leader in the Senate. Once he made up his mind to leave the PDP, he wrote to inform the PDP even before his defection that he was resigning. So, Senator Saraki has demonstrated neither character nor being a man of honor. I told him when we held a meeting that he came to join the APC as a Senator and it is on our platform that you became Senate President. “Once you made up your mind to leave, the honorable thing to do is to resign as Senate President. If he does not resign, he will be impeached according to law and not by thugs or by mob or anything undemocratic. He cannot sustain a minority rule in the Senate and that is what is haunting him in the Senate. “When I say that the Senate President will be impeached, let me emphasize that he will be impeached properly according to law. The constitution is clear how a presiding officer can be impeached and because several impeachments has taken place, we are not about to witness what has not taken place before. We have enough precedent to fall back on. I have looked at the constitution which does not say that an impeachment is illegal. It is done; you cannot arrive at the conclusion that it is unlawful. “How can we be accused of planning an illegal impeachment when it has not commenced. If he thinks that by saying that he will pre-empt the APC from having him impeached, he is deceiving himself. “I think that the time of Saraki is over. The way he has manipulated the politics of Kwara state, he fails to understand that the Nigerian project is far more complicated than being at the mercy of his own dynasty. He will not only be impeached, we will work hard to have him defeated as a Senator in his own Senatorial zone come 2019 by the people of Kwara state who are fed up with SarakiI. Go and check the results of the elections that made him a Senator and you will find out that the President got more votes from Kwara Central than Saraki got for himself. “So, he can’t claim that the vote the APC got from his Senatorial zone was because of him. That is why his leaving is of no political consequences as far as electoral issues are concerned. We tried to talk to him, not out of fear, but out of conviction that as a presiding officer, there are rules of engagement.” Cold comfort amongst APC senators Another actor in the whole game, who is believe to be favour as the next Senate President if Saraki is eventually removed, Sen. Ahmed Lawan Said, “We are going to work very hard with our party leaders here to reach out to our colleagues who