V
Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has opined that no politician who frequently switches parties has ever become Nigeria’s president.
Omokri said this in a post on X on Tuesday, March 11, amid the defection of former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Omokri speaks on importance of political stability
Omokri, a social commentator and former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, further argued that Nigeria’s diverse political landscape requires consistency in party affiliation.
“Nigeria is a very diverse country, and this can cause tensions. Only a politically stable person can stabilise the nation,” he posted.
Omokri cites historical precedents
Citing historical examples, Omokri noted that past civilian presidents, including Tafawa Balewa, Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan, maintained allegiance to a single political party.
He contrasted this with President Muhammadu Buhari, who transitioned from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to founding the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which later merged into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Similarly, he noted that President Bola Tinubu was a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which evolved into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before merging into the APC.
Defections lead to instability, says Omokri
Omokri warned that politicians who jump between parties foster political instability, making governance more challenging.
The best predictor of the future is the past. Those who jump from party to party cannot bring stability. They can only bring apathy and anarchy,” he added
