Dele Momodu: I’ve Seen It All – Defections Prove Our Politicians Have No Ideological Backbone”

Veteran journalist and politician Dele Momodu has strongly criticized the recent wave of defections by top Delta State leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking during an interview on Channels TV on Wednesday, Momodu expressed that he was not surprised by the move, pointing out that Nigerian political history is riddled with similar patterns of defections.

He attributed the trend to political pressure, alleging that many politicians are fleeing to the ruling party to avoid intimidation by anti-corruption agencies.

“I’m a keen student of Nigeria’s political history, and frankly, nothing shocks me anymore about our politicians,” he said.

“The Nigerian political space has always been filled with tales of defections. You can hardly find one politician who hasn’t, at some point, been hounded by the EFCC, ICPC, or the Special Fraud Unit.”

Momodu continued, “There was a time we looked up to people like Nelson Mandela, Jomo Kenyatta, MKO Abiola, and Chief Awolowo—men who went to jail for their convictions. Today, no one wants to make that sacrifice. They’d rather stay free and enjoy the wealth they’ve amassed through politics.”

He added, “This administration uses a carrot-and-stick approach. If persuasion fails, coercion kicks in. And unfortunately, coercion seems to be working—for now.”