Tonnie Iredia, former director-general of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), has likened politicians who defect from one party to another while retaining their elective seats to herdsmen who destroy farmlands without remorse.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the inaugural annual lecture of the National Association of Political Correspondents (NAPOC), Iredia described such behaviour as “vote stealing” and a betrayal of democratic principles.
He said: “They are the same as herdsmen. They move about destroying people’s farms and when you confront them, they say, ‘I have freedom of movement.’”
He condemned the trend of governors and lawmakers switching parties after elections without relinquishing their mandates, which he said were won on platforms they no longer represent.
“So, a governor uses one party to win an election, then defects to another political party but keeps the votes. That is stealing. Our judiciary should be able to tackle this,” he said.
The lecture marked Democracy Day and commemorated the legacy of Option A4, the voting method used during the June 12 election.
According to Iredia, Option A4 allowed for open voting and real-time results, which bolstered public confidence.
His words: “All elections before and after June 12 had problems. So, it was a watershed.
“Unlike today, when we hear excuses about ‘glitches,’ Option A4 left no room for manipulation. Voters knew the outcome instantly.”
