The President of the Ijaw National Congress, Benjamin Okaba, has said there is nothing wrong if the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, decides to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that such a move could help restore peace in the state.
Speaking on The Morning Brief programme on Channels Television on Thursday, Okaba explained that the nature of Nigerian politics has evolved beyond ideological party loyalty.
Okaba said, “At this point, we have to be realistic and understand the character of Nigerian politics; we don’t have political parties anymore, what we have is platforms to contest elections.”
He further described the country’s political structure as a “malutocracy”, a system where political actors simply follow the herd without ideological direction.
“We operate a malutocracy — just like you lead maloo (cows), you say ‘move this way’ and they move. We don’t have political parties anymore in the sense of it. These are just platforms for political contestation,” he said.
When asked who currently holds political leadership in Rivers State, Okaba maintained that Governor Fubara remains the state’s leader.
“The governor is a leader. The political leader,” he affirmed.
Asked if there was any indication that Governor Fubara might defect to the APC amid the ongoing political crisis in the state, Okaba replied, “No. What is wrong about that? There’s nothing wrong about that. If a former vice presidential candidate of a party can defect, why not him?”
He insisted that the Nigerian political landscape lacks ideological grounding, making party switches commonplace and often inconsequential.
Okaba cited examples of political officeholders who have changed party affiliations with little consequence, stating that even President Bola Tinubu could switch parties without raising eyebrows.
“In the interest of peace, Fubara made a statement that he will do anything to bring back peace in the state. Nigerians don’t see it as a serious issue that people are defecting. Maybe tomorrow, even Tinubu himself, if he decides to defect to the PDP, because he finds that as a veritable platform to contest, it’s not a serious matter,” he said.
He further disclosed a conversation he had with a former party chairman who had also switched parties, Okaba said, “I asked him, ‘What is the first item in Schedule Three of your party?’ He said he didn’t know and doesn’t even have a copy of the party constitution.”
Highlighting the lack of ideological commitment within the political space, Okaba said, “One of the governors even said, ‘If you don’t move with me, I will sack you.’ So there are no ideological events at all.”
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