By Abiemwense Moru
Abuja – A member of House of Representatives, Rep. Oni Olamide, says Tuesday’s mass defection in both chambers of the National Assembly signified lack of party ideology in the country.
He said this on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Olamide, who represents Ijero/Ekiti West/Efon Constituency, said it was disheartening that the country was yet to define its style of politics.
”One thing I see in Nigeria is that we have not been able to define the kind of politics we play.
”There is no party agenda. There are things that the public needs; there are things that the masses need.
“Tell us how you want to carry this out. There is no ideology.
”In those good days, the NPN had programmes of green revolution, the UPN had programmes of free education, rural integration among others and they pursued those programmes.
”Unfortunately, these days, once you are sworn in, it is anything goes,” he said.
He was optimistic that the current problem would soon be a thing of the past.
”This problem will be resolved because there is going to be alignment and realignment.
”But we are praying that there should be no casualty. They should be able to mend their fences very well. If they allow casualties, it is not good for this our democracy,” he said.
On whether the crisis may affect the APC’s chances in the 2019 poll, the lawmaker said politics was about grassroots and that the party was well rooted.
”It doesn’t matter; all politics are local. If it affects APC at the national level, it does not touch APC’s chances in Ekiti.
”A governor has been elected, and when the governor takes the Oath of Office, he begins to function,” he said.
The lawmaker, who condemned police’s invasion on the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Chief Ike Ekweremadu’s homes, described it as ”killing a fly with a sledge hammer’’.
”It is not good. I will not say more than that. Whoever that is behind this, it is not good,” he said.
NAN reports that 14 senators and 36 members of House defected from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Party (ADC) on Tuesday.
Another member of the party in the lower chamber, Rep. Emmanuel Orker-Jev (Benue) also resigned from the party but didn’t state his desired party, while Rep. Tony Nwulu (Lagos) defected from PDP to United Progressive Party (UPP).
(NAN)