Political Transfer Window In A Money Circulated Economy -By Adetayo Omotoyosi Adeolu

Adetayo Omotoyosi Adeolu

The months to elections is usually marred by different antics and shenanigans by politicians, with a desperate move not to loose out in the elections. In the past few weeks, the Nigerian Political Space has witnessed alignments and realignments, with Politicians jumping out of the sinking A.P.C ship and shielding from the rain using the umbrella of P.D.P. All these dramas are geared towards the 2019 Elections.

Nigeria is a country blessed with natural resources, instead of developing it’s human capacity to meet up with the emerging world trends and challenges, the leaders are busy looting the economy of the country dry.

In 2014, the A.PC re-opened the Political transfer window, as it is similar to what we have in the football world. Then, different politicians and Bigwig’s of the then ruling party – PDP left for the A.P.C and eventuality chased the largest party in Africa out of power.
The dimension the political transfer has taken is a source of worry, the once adored politicians who decamped to the P.D.P were labelled instantly with different unprintable names by those who felt betrayed.

As it is customary with politicians, especially in a country like Nigeria, their followers have taken over the fight, abusing themselves over the defections. But what they failed to know is that, they are tool in the hands of these politicians, who only fight for self-preservation.

When Politicians make move in a transfer window, they are either moving because they are not sure of getting the party tickets or they have fallen out with the leadership of the party.

The recent Political transfer move opened up the debate and questioned the ideology of these crop of politicians we have in the country. One Politician joins a political party today, he is singing their praises and they are also singing his praises. The moment he moves out of the party, he suddenly realised that the party is a confused party with no vision for the country. This can be related to what Governor Aminu Tambuwal said when he was addressed his followers, he said all what the party promised in its manifesto, it has failed to fulfil. He also accused the A.P.C of massive corruption and deepening poverty in the land. This was the party he once cherished and held in high esteem, and at the same time the party he defected to was the same party he joined hands to bury in 2015 election.

You may want to ask why the same party – the P.D.P ?
The excuse some of the defectors was that the P.D.P has rebranded and it has put its house in order.
But has the P.D.P really put its house in order ?
That is another question for another day.

In the aftermath of the 2015 elections, the A.P.C became the majority in the senate, the party leadership wanted it’s own chosen candidates to become the leaders of the National Assembly. The man from Kwara went against the party’s directives and thus became the Senate President. Saraki’s emergence didn’t go down well with the leadership of the party. He has since been labelled a Villian, he has also seen his own part of prosecution or persecution if you like. He has been a regular visitor to the Code Of Conduct Tribunal (CBT), he won the case. He was also linked to the Offa robbery case. So when Saraki decided to join his colleagues who dumped the ruling A.P.C for his former party – P.D.P, he got more than he bargained for, with A.P.C members and leadership calling on him to resign as the senate President. There has been plot to remove him by the A.P.C senators but since it will take 2/3 of the senate which is 73 to remove him as the senate President, of which presently, the A.P.C don’t have, he remains the senate President.

The Nigerian Political space also witnessed the blockage of both the residence of the senate President and his deputy by the Police on the day leading to the announcement of the defections. In a bid to prevent the defections, the government quickly mobilised the Police to mount the residence of the leaders of the senate.

But in what looks like a coup last week, the D.S.S seized control of the National Assembly, preventing Lawmakers and staffs from gaining entrance into the National Assembly.
But in a U-turn move, the Acting-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo sacked the man at the helm of affairs at the D.S.S, Lawal Daura and appointed another director, claiming the directives to block the National Assembly did not emanate from the government. While the government can keep on denying, it is a truism, that Nigerians knows the brain behind the actions of the D.S.S.
While the action of the D.S.S was condemned by lovers of democracy and freedom home and abroad, it is important that the government of the day, fish out those responsible for that dastardly act in our modern day history.

As I bring this article to an end, I will like to see a country where her Citizens are not moved by the actions and inactions of these politicians and leaders. Where our Politicians cum leaders would allow the interest and development of their people override their own selfish interest.

As we countdown towards the 2019 General elections, Nigerian citizens should keep in mind that politicians whether from the south or not, when it comes to the issues of money and self interest are all the same. And should they be called to kill or spill the blood of their fellow countrymen, they should gladly turn it down. In this MONEY-PULATED ECONOMY, only love can set us free. When we refuse to become the tool Politicians use to fulfill their own selfish interest and agenda, we create the future that will want.