President of the Women in Politics Forum, Ebere Ifendu, has warned that the wave of defections sweeping across Nigeria is undermining democratic stability, eroding public trust, and pushing the country toward a dangerous one-party state.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, Ifendu said the behaviour of politicians decamping from one party to another without ideological justification represents “an embarrassing situation” that threatens the very foundation of Nigeria’s political system.
Ifendu said that political parties no longer represent identifiable ideologies, making defections purely transactional.
“Let me say that it’s an embarrassing situation, if I must be honest with you. In politics, we expect that political parties will have different ideologies… But when you see these people move from one party to the other, you begin to wonder: is it that political parties in Nigeria are not built on ideology?”
She said voters choose parties based on the programmes and values they present, yet politicians abandon those mandates for personal gain.
“When we vote a political party, we vote based on what the political party is presenting before us. And then you ask: who is benefiting? It is just whoever is defecting, because it’s not based on ideology. It’s not because you want to do something good for your community. It is just for your own gratification.”
Ifendu warned that this behaviour is already damaging democratic culture.
“This is not good for us as a country. And I think that democracy in Nigeria is threatened — it’s seriously threatened because people no longer believe in the people they voted for.”
Ifendu stressed that elected officials owe loyalty to the party under which they were elected.
“A candidate of a political party is carrying the mandate of the party, not the person’s personal mandate. You get elected based on what your party presented. And then you just dump that party to go to another political party? Are we turning to a one-party state in Nigeria?”
She said the absence of strong opposition endangers democracy.
“If there is no opposition, then there is no democracy. So I think it is very wrong, seeing what is happening in Nigeria today.”
Responding to questions about regional political shifts, Ifendu said frequent defections make it impossible for opposition parties to stabilise.
“Defection is also the reason the opposition is not vibrant. It weakens opposition… What is going on for us in Nigeria today is stomach infrastructure. We want a situation where politicians will begin to think about the people.”
She questioned the ideological foundation of emerging coalitions and new parties.
“People will have to migrate from APC and other parties to form ADC — what will be the ideology? What are they going to take to the public? These are things we have to start looking at.”
Ifendu called for constitutional and electoral reforms to curb indiscriminate defections.
“I think we should be talking about what the law and the judiciary can do to help build our democracy. When people defect, there should be consequences. You were voted into that position on the platform of a political party. The right thing is, if you’re leaving that political party, you should also leave that position and re-contest under your new party and test your strength.”
Ifendu said the current political climate disproportionately harms women and undermines inclusive governance.
“This is also what is affecting women, because men are jumping from one political party to the other just to grab power. What do they do with the power? Nothing, but to embezzle — corruption and things like that. This is why we say politics must be inclusive so women, persons with disabilities, and everyone can participate.”
Asked about the implications of shifts in the South-East and 2027 projections, she said voters will ultimately determine the future.
“I think it is the electorate that will decide what will happen in 2027. It is the electorate that will correct the democratic imbalance we have in Nigeria today.”
She added that defections do not guarantee electoral success.
“There is no guarantee that if you move from party A to party B you will win the next election. It is about the people and what you have put in place.”
On Abia State, she praised Governor Alex Otti’s performance while noting that voters, not party labels, will decide.
“In Abia State, we are seeing something different for the first time. Even if he were to decamp — which I don’t think he will — it will not affect him.”
Boluwatife Enome
Follow us on:
