LAGOS DECEMBER 7TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has condemned the way and manner at which politicians defect from one party to the other, just as he vowed to remain the last man standing in PDP because of his love for the party ideology.
Speaking to journalists in Calabar, Cross river State on recent backdrop of politicians defecting from one party to another, Onuesoke reiterated that being a politician who believe in set down ideology on which to improve the living standard of the people, he will remain the last man standing in PDP.
Onuesoke argued that incessant cross-carpeting more than anything demonstrates absence of clear-cut political ideology among decampees in particular and the nation’s political chessboard generally.
He said the consequences of a political system devoid of ideologies leaves much to be desired as it is colourless and leaves the electorate with no alternatives or options to choose from when it comes to ideological block.
“Indeed, political ‘prostitution’, has over the years been elevated over and above ideology-driven politics unlike in the First Republic when the nation’s political turf was characterized by principles and discernable ideology-based politics. This is unhealthy. It does not make room for stability and flourishing of political ideologies,” Onuesoke observed.
He said it pains me more to see party bigwigs: people who were suppose to be credible, honest and loyal to a party decamp.
“For example the case of Atiku Abubakar, Orji Uzor Kalu and Comrade Adams Oshiomole, among others who have either decamped or formed alliances. Prominent politicians in other climes do not take pleasure in decamping. If you take the case of former president Mbeki of South Africa, he was indicted of corruption and asked to resign by his party which he did within one week, yet he didn’t leave his party. More also Former secretary of state Colin Powell endorsed President-elect Obama over his party nominee; McCain, still that didn’t make him become a Democrat,” he argued.
Onuesoke advised that there should be constitutional provisions to check the speed and ease with which politicians change platforms, especially when the new umbrella’s programmes and manifestoes are diametrically opposed to those of the platform on which a decampee was given mandate by the electorate.