According to a report from the Punch, the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressive Congress, Prof. Abdulkarim Kana, distinguished between political and legal defections, emphasizing that a public announcement of defection does not necessarily mean the legal process has been completed.
He explained that political defection involves an individual publicly declaring their move to another party, often causing commotion and confusion. However, he noted that legal defection requires specific steps, including submitting a resignation letter to the original party and having it accepted, as well as registering with the new party at the ward level.
Kana emphasized that many people overlook these essential components of the legal defection process. He pointed out that the party's constitution or the NEC can refuse to accept a membership application, underscoring the importance of formal recognition from the new party.
( Photo credit : The Punch Newspaper Verified Facebook Page )
During an interview with The Punch, he remarked, "It is a position that is very clear. What people don’t understand is that there is a political defection and there is a legal defection. A person may politically defect and may not legally do so. A political defection is me coming out to say I have moved or defected to another party. I will go to the National Assembly to make noise, and raise dust here and there to create confusion.
But the thing is this: If I claim I have left the party, have I written a letter of resignation to intimate the party and have they accepted my resignation? That is number one.
Secondly, have I gone to my ward to register with the new party I joined and given a form of recognition? This is because the party constitution or the NEC can refuse to accept a person applying to be a member. These are all the stages that people are not taking into cognizance."