By Otokpa Onidu

Politics is one of the major ways through which people escape poverty, where power and wealth are consolidated, how people stay relevant in business and in the society because of the enormous money, fame and influence that comes with political positions.

In a country such as ours, where politics is played in such a way that the winner takes it all and the loser goes home with nothing, the tendency is that everybody will want to align with the ruling party for survival and sustenance.
Nigeria, though a federal system. However, the major power to share and allocate our collective resources lie majorly with the central government headed by the President. The implication of this is that the political party that controls the central is regarded as the ruling party, the party to which other political players must align for political survival and relevance.

Those who will not defect to the ruling party are either persecuted politically, sidelined, starved of funds or retired from politics. By implication, you must be in the ruling party to stay relevant politically; hence, the mass exodus of politicians who had won their election in other political parties to the ruling party. Politics of this kind being a game of winner takes all, the law automatically become blind to all actions of the defectors, making the ruling party a safe haven for never do well politicians.

The actions of the defectors and the inaction of the law that guide political cross carpeting is gradually reducing the country into a one-party state, this is not good for a healthy democratic institution.
Defection is a choice and every citizen has that liberty to choose which party to belong, however, elective position is a trust given to you by the people. Therefore, your choice and decision as a political office holder must reflect the general opinion of your people for the general good and not for selfish ambition.