Aliyu wants politicians barred from decamping after primaries

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has suggested that necessary legislations should be put in place to stop cross carpeting after the primary elections.

Specifically, Governor Aliyu wants a 6 month ban to be placed on all politicians before they can leave their parties for another one after losing primary elections.

Aliyu who spoke in Minna yesterday against the backdrop of the defection of his deputy, Ahmed Musa Ibeto and others to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) said the imposition of such ban will instill discipline in the parties.

“We have discovered that people join political parties only because of what they want, once they don’t get what they want they jump ship, we must instill discipline in political parties” he stated.

Aliyu also decried the increasing wave of attacks during political party campaigns across the country warning that the trend if not checked could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

He said political party leaders in the states should be held responsible in the event of any breakdown of law and order as a result of the series of attacks now taking place, pointing out that electioneering should not be a do or die affair.

The governor said “electioneering should not make us lose the peace we have labored to achieve” stressing that “we must be careful of the kind of language we use in our campaigns”.

Aliyu said it was sad that some politicians pay thugs to wreak havoc on political opponents forgetting that after the election “we will all return to the same house”.

Governor Aliyu spoke at the ground breaking of the three storey building office complex of the Niger State Supply Company in Minna, the state capital.