”Political parties in Nigeria lack ideology, fueling rampant defections – Kabiru Sufi
A political scientist and public commentator, Dr. Kabiru Said Sufi, has said that the increasing trend of defections among Nigerian politicians is due to the lack of ideology and internal democracy within political parties, making them mere platforms for personal ambition.
Sufi made this known while speaking as a guest on Moment with AAJ, a flagship program on SOLACEBASE TV that focuses on contemporary, social, political, and economic issues.
Dr. Kabir, who lectures at the Kano State College of Education and Preliminary Studies, said that the structure of most political parties in Nigeria today is very weak and lacks ideological grounding. He explained that this makes it easy for politicians to move from one party to another in pursuit of their political interests.
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“The absence of ideology in our political system is a major factor that contributes to these rampant defections. What we have are parties formed as platforms to win elections, not based on principles or programs,” Dr. Kabir said.
He described the increasing defections as dangerous for Nigeria’s democracy, especially as they erode the strength of the opposition, which plays a critical role in democratic governance. “Democracy thrives on checks and balances, and a strong opposition is necessary to hold the ruling party accountable. But today, we are witnessing the collapse of that balance,” he added.
Dr. Kabir emphasised that most of the defections are not the result of genuine political disagreements or crises, but rather the pursuit of personal ambition and political survival.
He also blamed the poor state of internal democracy within political parties, noting that many of them operate without functioning structures or adherence to their constitutions.
“Many of our parties don’t even hold regular meetings as required by their constitutions. You see parties with interim leadership that has overstayed for years without holding proper congresses,” he said.
Dr. Kabir cited the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, a former Governor of the old Kano State, as an example of political morality. Rimi, according to Dr. Kabir, resigned after defecting from the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in the Second Republic to the Nigerian Peoples Party, believing that the mandate he held was for the party and not for himself.
“He believed that since he had changed party, it was only right to relinquish the position. That kind of political morality is missing today,” Dr. Kabir stated.
He also noted that the Nigerian Constitution provides that lawmakers who defect without a justifiable reason risk losing their seats, but the same is not applicable to governors and their deputies. “That’s why you see governors defecting without consequences, often claiming there’s a crisis in their party just to justify their actions.”
Dr. Kabir called for urgent reforms in the nation’s legal and political frameworks to address these lapses and strengthen democratic institutions. He advocated the development of ideologically driven parties and the strict enforcement of laws to discourage opportunistic defections.
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