*Open Political Party Defection Not A CRIME But Better Than A Clandestine Political-Turncoat That Is Multiculturally Abysmal.*

*By Osata Osayogie Raphael*

In an era of political landscaping that could have been determined by political intuition and reasoning rather than emotionally-based intent or feelings.A lot of political narcissists and rabble-rousers prefer being clandestine political turncoats that are eccentric and ambivalent in nature; that can lead to ignominious practical disgrace rather than declaring your political defection openly in a constructive, objective and dignified manner.This calls for character, capacity,value and integrity.

Open political defection is neither a sin nor a crime but a mindset orchestrated by pensive decision-making.

In a bid to prepare for Edo Agenda 2024.Or rather,as the Edo elections gain momentum,it is clear that political shocks are on the horizon.As expected,the Edo State gubernatorial election coming up on the 21st September,2024 has thrown up various challenges,series of hypothesis have precipitated various schools of thought.One of such attributes that are highly prevalent and ubiquitous during political electoral processes is called cross carpeting and political party defection.The watch-word cross carpeting and political party defection is not constitutional or institutionalized.Hence,it is optional for any party member to defect.

In Nigeria, the term political crossing carpeting or political party defection can be used interchangeably. When a member of a political party crosses or defects to another party of his or her choice due to some political or personal reasons.Alternatively, it could be a party defector who gives up allegiance to one state(political party)in exchange for allegiance to another(political party), changing side in a way, which is considered illegitimate by the first state(political party).It could be termed as POLITICAL PARTY DEFECTION.It is never constitutional to be in a particular party for a life time.Hence, you have the full privilege to defect especially if you are aggrieved or if you have both a personal and political collective interest.

Nigerian democracy has witnessed series of indiscriminate political defections, with politicians crisscrossing from one political party to another.This discourse ascertained that there is nothing wrong with cross carpeting,simpliciter, if predicated upon well articulated principles and unimpeachable political ideology.In fact,cross carpeting—within certain precincts—is a fundamental and constitutional right. Nevertheless, with the current trend of cross carpeting being enacted in the Nigerian political landscape, principles, scruples, ideology, and the like, have all been jettisoned for greed, self interest, and opportunism.The study established that though the legality of the current Nigerian species of cross carpeting may be entrenched,the morality is not.Consequently, the study avers that the current spate of cross carpeting, that has become commonplace, contradicts the sanctity of religious propositions; whittles down the respected concept of trust; reveals the abject dearth of political ideology; and impinges the youth, posterity, and entire society negatively. This subject is considered important because when morality is lost, in a society like Nigeria,then the fabrics of the law and its enforceability are grossly weakened.

By happenstance,the prevalence of cross-carpeting in Nigerian politics continues to threaten the consolidation of democracy in the country.It is strengthened by the proliferation of political parties devoid of entrenched ideology or political philosophy besides attaining political and economic powers.The unusually delayed justice in defection related matters sometimes occasioned by the pile of cases before the scanty judicial umpire in the country is another block of stumbling over.The technical approach of these umpires to cases of defection or constitutional matters may not be far from being a cloak on the wheel of justice.While the elected executives at the detriment of their electorates enjoyed the freedom of assembly and association in changing their political parties after the election, the exercise of the same right by the elected members of legislative houses are subjected to certain occurrences in justification or else vacate their seats on the pronouncement of their respective leaders in the house.This historical political menace persistently thrives in the country's fledgling democracy without adequate legal instruments for effective redress.Through the conceptual approach, the study reveals that the elected executives persistently swindle the mandate of their voters with impunity while the principal officers of the parliaments freely decide who remains or exits the house on the ground of defection.It is clear that the Nigerian Anti Defection Law is highly parochial, vague and bleak.In all, party defection is a function of pensive conscious realization and mental reasoning by positive decision-making.

In conclusion,most of the essence of political party defection is primarily for self-aggrandizement, greediness,personal interest which is a function of politics rather than true governance.
Others like service to humanity, service delivery, capacity development, political collective interest which is a function of governance rather than politics.The former is based on greed_ politics(❌), the latter is based on service delivery to humanity_governance(✅)

*A Wise Man Is Pro-active And An Unreasonable Man Is Physically Vindictive And Re-active*

*Osayogie Osata Raphael Is A Public Affair Analyst Reporting From His Local Residence In Oredo Local Government Area*