Defection: There is no political ideology in Nigerian politics ― Former Senate President, Ebute

THE Nigerian former Senate President, Ameh Ebute has said that following the ongoing defection from party to another by Nigerian politicians, it means that political parties in Nigeria have no ideologies yet.

Speaking at the launch of Good Governance Ambassadors of Nigeria (GOGAN), Ebute said the only ideology that exists in Nigerian politics is the National cake which every politician wants to share from.

His words: “As for now, there is no political ideology in the country, and politicians and lawmakers can jump from party to another because there is no ideology, the only ideology we have now is that there is a National cake and everybody wants have a share of the National cake so they keep floating political parties, over 60 political parties, and eventually only two will perform.

“Why confusing the illiterate rural people by 65 political parties. I’m therefore in support of two-party system, this will enable politicians to choose whether to be progressive or conservative.

“The currents defection of party members from one party to another has automatically grouped Nigerian politicians into two broad categories, the self-serving politicians and the public interest serving politicians.

“The self-serving politicians are the ones I can refer to as the looters of Nigerian treasury, and the public interest serving politicians are the ones that will fight corruption.”

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Speaking further on corruption, the former Senate President said corruption physically and psychologically killed many Nigerians.

“Corruption has physically and psychologically killed many Nigerians, in Benue and some other states where salaries of workers and pensions remain unpaid, many people have died as a result of corruption because of their inability to go to hospitals for treatment, unable to buy food, thereby inviting illnesses that are incurable.

“Corruption also has psychological effects because many Nigerians experience psychological trauma when they travel abroad and they are subjected to inhuman treatment because of the invisible label of corruption on their foreheads. This is not good for a country.

“I submit and invite anyone to challenge me this believe and opinion that throughout the history of governance in this country, it is only the present administration that has got the courage to fish out cases of corruption in all the three arms of government, involving looting amounting to billions of Naira and attempt to recover same and prosecute the culprits.

“No wonder then that the looters are using their looted monies to hire gunmen and kill people all over the states, so as to bring down the present administration,” he said.

He, however, advised the Independent Nigeria Electoral Commission (INEC), to disqualify any candidate who has foreign accounts and properties abroad in order to curb looting in government.

“INEC under no circumstances should qualify any candidate to stand for election if such candidate has foreign account or property outside Nigeria, because if you continue to qualify people you know who have held offices and lined properties and foreign accounts abroad, you have already given them license to take more of our national treasury to outside the country again,” he added.