CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Introduction
The political system of Nigeria has undergone significant transformation since the country’s return to democratic governance in 1999. This period departed from years of military rule and political repression, ushering in a new era characterised by electoral politics, party competition, and a burgeoning civil society. The transition from military rule to civilian rule was the result of a bargain struck by an elite cabal over 1998 and 1999, following the death of the dictator Sani Abacha. As Nigeria navigated the complexities of democratization, various political dynamics emerged, one of which is the phenomenon of “cross-carpeting”. The Nigerian democracy has witnessed a series of political defections in recent years with politicians moving from one political party to the other. This development, which is generally referred to as cross-carpeting, has been used interchangeably with concepts like party defection, party switching, floor-crossing, party-hopping, canoe-jumping, decamping, and party-jumping1. Cross-carpeting is a significant part of the political process and an international reality2. It is the act of changing party allegiance or moving from one political party to another3. Similarly, cross-carpeting is when politicians cross-carpert from one political party to another r due to numerous reasons such as personality clash, power tussles, crisis or division within a given party, disagreement on party’s position on an issue, realization of one’s political ambition, and divergent views on the operations of a political party’s philosophy or ideology4. Party defection is more present in the current democratic order more than any republics and no political party in Nigeria, especially in the Fourth Republic that has not suffered from defection crises5. The trend has caught up with lawmakers[predominantly those in the House of Representatives, members of the House of Representatives and political parties fervently recruiting support to join their party, allowing their statutory duties of lawmaking and good governance to dwindle.6 This has become a permanent feature of Nigeria’s nascent democracy7 although not an exclusive domain of Nigeria. The heightened wave of cross-carpeting at all levels of government is beginning to cause serious political tension, hostility and a source of concern among Nigerians. Defection or party-switching is where every elected party member in a legislative system such as a parliament embraces a different political or policy perspective which is not complementary to that of the party he or she represents8. Basically, the political actor defecting is dissatisfied with his/her former political party from which he/she is defecting from, without the defection necessarily reflecting any ideological bias. It should be noted that the phenomenon of cross-carpeting is no respecter of the age of a democracy. It occurs in both old and new democracies9. Issues have been cited as motivations behind party defection which includes; intra-party feud, selfish interest of the political class, deficient party ideology and internal democracy, leadership crisis amongst others10. However, the implications of this phenomenon extend beyond individual politicians. They have profound implications for political activism in Nigeria. Political activism is defined as the organized efforts by individuals or groups to influence political outcomes or bring about social or political change through actions. Political activism often relies on trust and alignment with political parties that represent certain ideologies or causes. Political activism in Nigeria has a rich history, often rooted in social justice, anti-corruption, and the demand for good governance. Since the return to democracy, activism has evolved, reflecting citizens’ frustrations and aspirations in response to political trends like cross-carpeting.
Under Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, political activism has been deeply marked by politicians’ fluid party identifications. Liberalizations of the party system that saw the registration of several parties, created an avenue for more political activities. Even though there was proliferation, not many remained significant, and some fought to become relevant. This is largely due to the persistent practice of cross-carpeting by political actors, who tend to switch from one party to another in pursuit of personal or political agendas. The pervasiveness of the practice has raised critical issues about its impact on the development of political activism in Nigeria. Specifically, it queries whether cross-carpeting solidifies or erodes political consciousness, grassroots mobilization, and issue-based politics. Addressing these questions is the primary objective of this study.
Aim of Objectives
This study aims to examine the impact of political parties cross-carpeting on political activism development in Nigeria from 1999 to 2023. The objectives include;
- To examine the historical evolution of cross-carpeting in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic [1999-2023].
- To investigate the factors motivating politicians to cross carpet and how the reasons influence public perception.
- To explore the implications of cross-carpeting on citizens’ political interest, participation, and activism.
- To evaluate whether cross carpeting has strengthened or weakened political activism in Nigeria