Betrayal and The Wounded Smile in Nigeria Politics

Political defections or decamping have always been a trademark of Nigerian politicians most especially towards the end of each administration for selfish reasons and never in the defense of democracy.

 The best way to live an extraordinary political life is to raise your standard , decamping or political cross carpeting is not the solution. 

Your personal standards are reflected in how you treat yourself and in how you treat others. What’s more, they are also reflected in how you expect to be treated by other people. Simply be honest, don't kill, don't steal and don't destroy.

In defense of democracy, late Dr. Steven Makoji Achema, former staunch PDP member and Special Advicer to the then president Olusegun Obasanjo set the record straight at a time when all odds where against his party. Instead of decamping to ANPP, he remained in his party and campaigned for Prince Abubarkar Audu the Governorship flag bearer of the All Nigeria Peoples Party. In his word, the devil you know is better than angel you know nothing about." Besides, no matter how bad your hand is, you cannot give another person to lick it. This set a good precedent that bipartisan cooperation is permissible when there is sytemic disequilibrum or things begin tofall apart in a political party not outright rejection for a paltry sum. Money is just a slice part of politics. The legacy left behind matters.  I wonder if this season of betrayal or disloyalty movements is  in defense of our so called democracy are for real, or for other ulterior motives? A defector or political decampee is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. It involves abandoning a person, cause, or doctrine to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.

A politician has every justification to decamp particularly when a political party is not driving a convincing agenda that impacts the socio-economic space, politicians defect to avoid being associated with failures or poorly implemented policies. However , the reverse becomes the case when a man or woman is decamping to a party that is an embodiment of similar failure , characterized by political charlatans who's satanic agenda has expiry date no matter how long it takes. 

Perhaps decamping to an enemy's abode simply to mock your traducers is a great mistake of the night which will hardly see the light of day. A story was told of Mir Jafar who was instrumental in the British takeover of what is now India. As head of the Bengal Army, he withheld his forces from attacking the East India Trading Company. As a reward, Britain made him Nawab of Bengal. On the contrary, Judas Iscariot was one of the original disciples of Jesus Christ. When things got tense he was quick to sell out the Son of God for a mere 30 silver coins. Historically, he hanged himself out of shame after the death of Jesus. Beware of any propensity that may beset your step to living a fulfilled to avoid becoming  a popular nobody in the end. 

Even if Goodluck Jonathan, PDP chieftain decamp to APC today , there is an ulterior motive rather than in defence of democracy. A  politician who finds it difficult to show complete loyalty in a party, when the leadership cannot be trusted should rather raise his or her standard than to swim in the ocean of betrayal cross carpeting unescessarily from the party to another,  thereby exposing the lives of your die-hard followers to danger, death or scampering for safety. 

Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract , trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst especially  members or a political party. This is usually born out of sinister backstabbing, evil report and internal rancour. 

When a staunch PDP member defects to a party like APC, against the general interest of its followers . No doubt this is betrayal to the core whereas conscientious mind will not subscribe to it. Often betrayal is the act of supporting a rival group, or it is a complete break from previously decided upon or presumed norms by one party from the others. Someone who betrays others is commonly called a traitor or betrayal. 

It looks like we could be living in a new age of forceful disloyalty. . . beware ! 

to be continued...

- Attain Stephen