Experts Lambast Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu Over Defections, Describe Them As 'Shameless Politicians'
Political analysts have attacked Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of jumping from one political party to the other ahead of the September 19 governorship election in the state.
Obaseki moved from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party while Ize-Iyamu headed in the opposite direction.
Speaking with Saharareporters on Monday on the political development in the state, Head of Department of Political Science, Prof Jonah Onuoha, described Nigerian politicians as a crop of people, who have no sense of shame and are only out to seek personal gains above serving the people. 
He said Nigerian politics cannot move forward with the present crop of politicians jumping from one party to the other in the quest for power and to achieve their selfish ambitions.
Onuoha berated Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu for abandoning their previous groups and emerging governorship candidates of the PDP and APC respectively in Edo.
He said, "There must be a change of mindset and new set of politicians. Nigerian politics cannot move forward until these set of politicians leave the scene.
"They lack focus, principles, values and ideology. There is no difference between those in military uniforms and what we have now. They are all the same circulating themselves in power."
On his own part, Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, Clement Okechukwu Nwankwo, said the situation in Edo State had brought question marks on the sustainability of political system and political parties in country.
He said the situation in the state was a clear negative indicator that had eroded confidence, loyalty and discipline in the political party system.
Nwankwo said, "A situation where somebody leaves a political party and migrate few days to the primary of that party and emerges as winner creates disaffection for the political party followership.
"It is a deteriorating culture of political party loyalty and discipline."
The two political parties were alleged to have mounted pressure on other aspirants, who had line up for the election to step down for Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu.
Interestingly, in 2026, former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, described Ize-Iyamu as someone, who could not be trusted with public funds.
The same Oshiomole also praised Obaseki
as one, who had used his “brain” and “creativity” to work for the good of the state and the people.
Things have however, taken a different turn today as Oshiomhole now rallies support for Ize-Iyamu and continues to condemn Obaseki at every opportunity.
It was through his orchestration that Obaseki was disqualified from the APC primary in Edo over alleged certificate irregularities.
It is the same scenario in Kogi State where Dino Melaye and Smart Adeyemi have swapped camps between the PDP and APC several times to contest the senatorial seat of the district.
Also, no fewer than 14 APC senators including former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and 37 members of the House of Representatives defected to PDP and ADC before the 2019 general elections.
Analysts maintain that the practice not only embarresses Nigeria's democracy in the international community but also casts a huge shadow of doubt over the country's future.
Politics News AddThis : Original Author : Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements :https://ift.tt/2VsGsYQ
