The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has criticised politicians defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, accusing them of lacking shame and respect for the electorate.
The Secretary-General of CUPP, Peter Ameh, made the remarks on Monday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television monitored by journalists.
Ameh said it was morally wrong for politicians who contested elections on the platform and manifesto of one party to defect to another after winning elections.
“Those defecting to the APC don’t have shame and respect for the electorate. You contested against this party you are defecting to on the day of the election,” he said.
He argued that voters deliberately rejected the APC, PDP and Labour Party options on the ballot in some constituencies and chose candidates based on the platforms they represented.
“Except if you feel you rigged your election, because the electorate went to the polls, saw APC, PDP and Labour Party on the ballot and decided to ignore the APC and voted for you,” Ameh added.
The CUPP secretary-general stressed that political defection after elections raises serious moral questions, noting that candidates canvassed support based on the manifesto of their original parties.
“This is about morality,” he said.
Ameh expressed hope that Nigerians would eventually take full control of their democratic future, urging citizens not to give up despite setbacks.
“We hope that one day the people will wake up and determine their own future. They did it in 2023, but there were no structures to defend it,” he said.
He added that Nigerians must remain resolute and continue to push for change, insisting that the country deserves better governance.
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