Okokwu Ogenyi, a former candidate for state lead representative of Benue State and coordinator of the Conference of Minority Tribes, has cautioned that ideological alignment is not the primary reason behind many defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC), but rather individual political aspirations.
In an interview, Ogenyi, who is also a member of the governing council for the Nigeria French Language Village in Badagry, Lagos, pointed out that although some politicians sincerely endorse the APC’s policies under President Tinubu, others are driven by the desire to win reelection or safeguard their political interests.
“Some of the politicians defecting to one party or another are not doing so based on ideology. Many are acting out of personal interest, while others genuinely believe that President Tinubu has laid a solid foundation and want to join in building on it,” Ogenyi stated.
In support of his claim that such actions are frequently motivated by political calculation and personal conviction rather than party doctrine, he pointed to the recent defection of the governor of Enugu State from the PDP to the APC.
“While some people are joining for genuine reasons, others are doing so because they want to secure re-election tickets. The APC is a large family, and many see joining it as a way to protect their chances,” Ogenyi remarked.
He urged Nigerians to stick to the principles of their parties, emphasizing that huge defections may lead to internal strife if new members do not share the progressive objectives of their new party. Ogenyi went on to say that performance, communication, and public trust rather than numbers determine political success.
“Defection increases a party’s numbers, but numbers alone don’t guarantee victory. What matters is the president’s and governors’ achievements and how well these are communicated to the people,” he continued.
