Femi Fani-Kayode’s defection to the Allied Progressives Congress (APC) was probably the biggest news last week. For most, it was shocking while for some of us, it was only a matter of ‘when. We had expected it much earlier.
Observers would have noted his sudden change of disposition to Professor Isa Pantami, Minister of communications and Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State, both of whom had previously been recipients of his sharp tongue. However, Nigerians have the right to be shocked especially after his fierce criticism of the APC and even worse disparaging comments on the personality of President Muhammadu Buhari. Even for those who expected his defection, they never would have expected to see him welcomed into the party at the statehouse by the President.
Interestingly, this follows the debate that was trending on social media about ‘Is APC the same as the PDP.’ Nigerians now have their answer. With more defections than players’ transfers in football leagues, some have even suggested that the process be commercialised such that the government can derive some revenue from them. A top chieftain in one of the two major political parties had once said that “Political parties in Nigeria are merely Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) to arrive at the office you want and your biggest consideration when joining is the one that can guarantee you victory”. This is why the rumour of defection by President Goodluck Jonathan is conceivable at all. It is this philosophy that guides our political atmosphere and at its’ foundation is a culture of opportunism and selfishness.
Unfortunately, it drives distrust and apathy among the masses, a catalyst for bad governance which perpetuates the vicious cycle of underdevelopment and the worsening equality gap. Before the poor eats the rich, political parties must wake up and realign themselves. It is not enough for social media pundits to throw fancy words and unverified facts to describe the difference between the PDP and APC. Nigerians look at the rating of IGR or Unemployment among states and cannot see the influence of the party leading the state, it’s simply a salad of incompetence and mediocrity across party lines.
If Nigerians will ever believe that there is a difference between both parties, one or both of them will need to come out with a clear manifesto stating their philosophy and how it captures their position on different issues affecting the state. It must be one that is bearing on all members of the party, as well as intra-party mechanisms that punish errant members.
It is long overdue. The second republic had a semblance of political ideology where the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) had housing estates while the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was known for free education. We cannot say of the same today.
While we cannot adopt the ‘Left-Right’ philosophies of the western world, there are divisive issues among Nigerians that political parties can take a stance on. Our political parties can provide their definitions of restructuring and stance on resource control. We’ll also be interested in their positions on tax policies; higher taxes with more welfare or fewer taxes and no welfare. If a particular party is voted into power, the people should know whether to expect more state-owned businesses or more privatisations. They can also come up with fewer programs just like the second republic.
While political alignments change, ideologies don’t. Without a doubt, ideologies strengthen the structure of political parties as the members aren’t just opportunists but believers. This will strengthen the trust between the people and their leaders, and hence more difficult decisions can be taken. If only wishes were horses! But until the day comes, Nigerians will have to take politicians’ pledges of party loyalties with less than a pinch of salt and more importantly, focus on the personality and competence of the candidates rather than the logo on the ballot paper.
Linkepledgeslatide Afolabi
Twitter- Latid13
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