THIS indeed may not be the best of times for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This is considering the gale of defections currently rocking the party that prides itself as the largest political party in Africa. The party which analysts have given ominous predictions in the recent past is fast loosing some of its key members across the country.
From the six geo-political zones of the country, PDP has lost men and women that have helped it to attain the height that has made it able to bestride the nation’s political landscape like a colossus. The irony is that the defections are coming very close to the conduct of the 2011 general elections which President Goodluck Jonathan has time and again assured will be free,fair and credible,saying “every vote must count”
At the last count, PDP might have lost over 60 high profile members to other political parties in the run up to the 2011 elections. Analysts believe that the number may increase after the party’s presidential primaries scheduled to come up this week. While the PDP leadership led by Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former governor of Enugu State may be counting their losses, other political parties are thanking their stars for bringing in new quality members into their fold.
The key beneficiaries of the mass exodus currently rocking the ruling party are the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as well as the Labour Party (LP). These, until recently, less known parties have been snatching PDP members with such an amazing rapidity that may have sent shivers down the political spine of key watchers and players in the Nigerian political turf.
The carpet crossing that seemed to trigger defection tsunami  in the ubiquitous ruling party started in May last year when against all predictions,  13 members of the Edo State House of Assembly elected under the platform party dumped PDP for CAN. Until then, it was tantamount to committing political suicide for any body to dump the party that has overwhelming majority across the three tiers of government in the country.
Since that landmark mve by the Edo lawmakers, it has been one defection from PDP to the other. A roll call of those who have called it quits with the ruling party include Aminu Bello Masari former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Senator Garba Lado. Both left the Katsina chapter of the ruling party for the CPC. Dr. Abiye Sekibo, former transport minister in the government of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, also left the River State chapter of the party for the ACN.
The wind of defection has also blown across Kebbi, Taraba, Imo, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Plateau states.  Other states that have felt the defection storm are Ogun, Oyo, Anambra and Osun states.  In Kebbi state, the ruling party has lost Senators Umar Argungu and Joel Danlami who joined the CPC and ACN respectively to seek greener political pasture.
In Delta state, a frontline leader of the PDP and former secretary to the state government, Ovie Omo-Agege, and Senator John Adego Efekeya both left with their supporters for the ACN. In Edo, Senator Ehigie Uzamere left the party along with and two federal lawmakers representing Oredo and Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon constituencies, Patrick Obahiagbon and Samson Osagie respectively. All defected to ACN.
Obahiagbon was quoted to have said that it would amount to one deceiving himself in Abuja by remaining in his former party.
The ACN gladly received one of the founding members of the PDP in Akwa Ibom state, Senator John Akpanudoedehe and former minister of state for the federal capital territory. The ACN rally welcoming Akpanudoedehe was presided over by Chief  Victor Attah, former governor of the state, who is also a member of the party.
It was also harvest time for the Osun State chapter of ACN as the Chief of Staff to former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Elder Peter Babalola, and two House of Representatives’ members, Hon. John Fasogbon, representing Ife Federal Constituency and Hon. Ismail Kolawole, representing Ila/Boluwaduro/Ifedayo Federal Constituency also left for ACN.
In Ogun, Hon. Biodun Akilade suddenly realised the PDP might be inadequate to handle his aspiration of becoming governor as he defected to the ACN. The APGA also captured former Information Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili, and former PDP presidential aspirant, Rochas Okorocha, who both denounced their membership of the PDP to contest for the Senate in Anambra and Imo governorship respectively.
In Imo state, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and former Governor Achike Udenwa and their supporters also left PDP for ACN. While Araraume want to take a shot at the Government House in Owerri under the platform of his new party, Udenwa wants to come to Abuja as a Senator. Last week, Labour Party also poached the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta, Timi Alaibe, in Bayelsa and former Rivers governor, Celestine Omehia. They are both contesting the governorship of their states.
Former Oyo governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, also left for Accord Party, planning to contest the governorship of the state. In Ebonyi State, Senator Julius Ucha defected to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to contest the governorship. In Zamfara, 13 members of the House of Assembly, who initially followed Governor Mahmuda Shinkafi to the PDP, suddenly returned to the ANPP while two members of Adamawa State House of Assembly, Umar Alfa Belel, (Yola South) and Jerry Kumdisi, (Gombi), also defected from the PDP to ACN.
Also last week, Plateau State lost eight gubernatorial aspirants under the platform of PDP to the Labour Party. Those who left the PDP on the Plateau include  Pauline Tallen, the incumbent deputy governor of the state. Also set to defect along with the aspirants were 16 PDP members of the Plateau State House of Assembly who did not turn up for the PDP screening even after purchasing the nomination forms. Plateau State ACN Chairman Amos Gizo said the eight aspirants had contacted him with a request to join the party.“Yes, we are in receipt of their intention to pitch camp with us; we are willing to accept them in our fold but with conditions,’’ he said. Gizo described the ACN as “a Church always willing to accept new converts who must be willing to abide by the rules as set.We have accepted their request, but we are going to set up a standard which they must meet before allowing them to contest on our platform.” He added, “In fact, they will sign an MOU; a kind of bond, not to just use us as a platform to win elections and then defect to another party. We have learnt from experience.’’
Gyang, who is one of the governorship aspirants, said the group of aspirants, known as G8, had been working together and would defect together. “Our plan is to contest the governorship elections on a consensus arrangement. Yes, we are defecting and that will be very soon; I cannot tell you the political party we are moving to for now; may be LP, may be ACN.I cannot be exact, but all I can confirm to you is that we are no longer in the PDP.
“We did not go for the screening even though we bought the nomination forms. We were told that the PDP had made up its mind over who should be its candidate, so we did not feel we should waste time there,’’ he said. Gyang also said there would be no problem adjusting in the new political camps because there was no particular ideology in the Nigerian political system.