Fire-brand Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who first sounded the alarm against ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo’s third – term agenda, has again alerted the nation against the dangers carpet-crossing poses to Nigeria’s democracy.
Chukwumerije, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, lamented that the country’s multi –party system is being seriously endangered by the high rate of decamping to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Calling for laws against carpet- crossing, the senator noted that the defections to the PDP are being encouraged by mercenary and opportunistic interest, but opined that the practice has the tendency of stifling creativity and crippling development.
He said: “It (cross carpeting) is emanating from opportunistic and mercenary interest, unfortunately this is what is happening in Nigeria, it poses a danger to the virile growth of Nigeria’s political development and democracy.
“Those people decamping to PDP unfortunately signal the move of Nigeria to one- party state and that in my view is not good for creative growth of the country. It may be good for cemetery like stability, graveyard stability, but definitely not good for internal growth of the nation. It gives rise to orthodoxy, a huge hegemony trying to crush you; you will have an agenda but you cannot pursue it because all around you see the orthodoxy, you are not given to two sides to operate.
“Cross carpeting has the frightening record of destabilizing potentials and it has happened over and over again. To that extent, a law is necessary. But the law has to be carefully done in such a way that it does not imprison conscience. It should make caveat that for such conditions, cross carpeting may take place. There are so many things that seem to negate political behaviour. The only thing that will help us is the force of a law, a mandatory framework with which we can regulate our political behaviour.”
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