ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Politicians who have made defections as their stock in trade for appointments and other political gains are enemies of democracy in the country, Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has asserted.
Ewhrudjakpo made the assertion on Friday while granting audience to the Forum of Former Vice Chairmen and Political Secretaries of Local Government Councils in the state at his office in Government House, Yenagoa.
He emphasised that defection from one political party to another, especially at the eve of elections, had become the bane of stable political system and democratic culture in Nigeria.
He rationalised that Nigerian political system could not develop and evolve beyond its present level because of what he called “political prostitution”, which had become the order of the day.
He decried a situation where the system gives recognition to politicians who defect and return only after elections at the expense of those who showed true loyalty to the party through thick and thin.
Ewhrudjakpo noted that politics as practised in the country does not promote integrity and ideology as most politicians are not ready to make sacrifice, but want to be satisfied by the system at all times.
He, however, assured the people that although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would always open its doors to accommodate defectors, the present administration would continue to identify committed party members and reward them accordingly.
He also used the opportunity to plead with loyal and active PDP members who were yet to be rewarded to be patient with the Douye Diri administration.
Ewhrudjakpo said: “Our political system has refused to develop because of political prostitution and inconsistencies. So, the political children we are having are products of an adulterous system with a lot of vagabond behaviours.
“People don’t want to make sacrifice, but they want to be satisfied. Our tree of leadership is growing on the manure of blackmail, lies, deceit and doubtful loyalty.
“Loyalty should not be seasonal; it should be there in and out of season. If our loyalty is determined by the plate of porridge we are served each time, then it is not true loyalty.
“Unfortunately, the leadership tree in our state and country is thriving on the fertilizer of defection, lies, and inconsistent behaviours.
“So the leadership is always skewed towards negative reward system. We have a system where people defect unnecessarily and later return when it is time to eat, and we seem to embrace them more than those who had been with us all along.
“It is a major disincentive in the politics of Nigeria. But this administration will try as much as possible to identify with those who stood by us when it mattered most.”
Responding to the Forum’s demand for payment of their severance entitlements, Ewhrudjakpo directed its leadership to make a comprehensive list of their members and forward the same to his office for consideration.
The list, according to him, must indicate their status and period in office whether as elected or appointed vice chairmen and secretaries.
While reminding them that their loyalty to the government and party should not be seasonal, he promised that the current administration would look into their demand based on the law of severance.