Defection of Oborevwory, Okowa, others political tsunami – APC chieftain, Agbakahi

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. George Agbakahi says the recent defection of Delta State Gov, Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa, the State Assembly members and others from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC may be likened to a political tsunami but normal political exercise that should not elicit any negative attack or criticism.

Agbakahi, who is also South East leader of Tinubu Support Organization and member of 2023 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Media and Publicity Directorate, made the assertion during Arise News Television interview monitored by our reporter in Abuja on Friday.

He stated that the protracted crisis in PDP which has led to multiple lawsuits and parallel national secretaries, created a serious division in the party to warrant members, including lawmakers, to defect to other parties without legal consequences.

While defending the defection as legal and normal, the APC chieftain explained that there are also historical antecedents that date back to pre and post independence era, even as he supplied a plethora of examples and constitutional backing.

“Political alignment, realignment, coalition and defections are major characteristics of every political system. And this issue of party defection didn’t start today.

“I remember vividly even during the pre-independence days in 1951, pre-independent parties also defected from one party to the other depending on where their interest was. So that’s exactly what’s happening.

“The recent defection by the current governor of Delta state as well as the former governor and also the vice presidential candidate to Abubakar Atiku in the last general election, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa, to me is not only a political earthquake; it’s a political tsunami, in the political history of this great nation.

“But the point now is this, it’s very mind boggling to me when people like Malam El-Rufai, who was a chieftain of APC defected to SDP, even the former governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Enugu State, Chijioke Edeoga recently defected to PDP.

“Those ones didn’t make a lot of news or noise. But when big players in PDP now defected from PDP to APC like what just happened in Delta state, it has become uproar politically in the country.

“Defection started long ago even in the US, Donald Trump was once a Democrat between 2001 and 2009 before he defected to the Republican Party and now he is president of the United States, so it’s not new,” he said.

On the legality of defection and whether those occupying elective positions, especially parliamentarians should vacate their seat or positions, Agbakahi explained that the Constitution also provided a leeway by stipulating the condition precedent before such defection could be termed lawful or unlawful.

“Let’s look at the Constitution, Section 68 (1) as well as Section 109 made it abundantly clear that one can always defect to another party. And Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution talks eloquently about freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, so it’s not a new thing, it’s natural.

“But to me, I believe this defection in Delta state is a clear confirmation and utmost authentication of the renewed hope agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In fact I see it as actually as a demonstration by the governor of Delta and former Presidential candidate, Okowa, the faith and trust they have in the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that’s what we see.

“What happened in Delta state, you can attribute it to the fact that PDP as a political party is disorganized. In PDP currently there is no national secretary; there is a problem between Ude Okoye and Sen Samuel Anyanwu.

“And apart from that the board of trustees of PDP is divided. And if you also come to PDP, there is lack of party cohesion, there is internal strife going on in the party,” he added.

Agbakahi also stated that politics is a game of interest noting that former Gov Okowa and his successor may have looked at the intricacies and underpinnings in PDP and felt it was wise for them to move to a party that was more stable, which has interest of Nigerians and also has the capacity to win the 2027 general election.

He said, “If you listened attentively during the defection personally I heard former Sen James Manager speak, he said that they don’t want to continue to stay in the sinking ship.

“Similarly the Commissioner for Works and also a spokesman during the defection said that it is because of insecurity, and he also talked about infrastructure and that they would prefer to be at the centre where they would also be getting development… you know politics in Nigeria is not only about personal interest, it’s also community interest. They felt that staying with the centre will afford them the opportunity to do a lot for their people and that’s the truth.”

The APC chieftain therefore counseled PDP members and other critics to stop attacking the defectors insisting that they did not breach any law and besides defection was not new in Nigerian politics.

“Like I told you this has been happening since 1951 during the pre-independence years, it happened again in the 1960s in the first republic, it happened in the second republic between 1979 and 1983, happened also since 1999 it has been going on. I don’t think there is anything wrong with defecting, its part and parcel of party politics,” he insisted.