Carpet-crossing

CARPET-CROSSING

    Carpet-crossing is the act of changing political alliance from one political party to another especially in the parliament. Carpet-crossing can also be loosely used interchangeably with decamping, defection, party hopping, party switching, floor-jumping, etc. But it differs slightly from other related terms like decamping, and defection. Though, there is correlation between them, they involve changing from one political party to another. But cross-carpeting takes place only in parliament; therefore only elected members of Parliament can cross-carpet. While the decamping or defection can be outside parliament.
Besides, Kamara (2012) differentiated them more clearly by saying that:
To cross carpet, one must first be an elected member of parliament and the act really takes place within the four walls of parliament. While political defection takes place outside the walls of parliament and the actors are not elected Member of Parliament.

Reasons for Cross-carpeting and Defection

The question is: why do people change political alliance from one political party to another?

    According to Kamara (2012), “political defection or cross carpeting is older than sovereignty.” He contend thus: “that the reasons are purely personal… everyone joins a party to make a plunge into politics to make a difference… so why should one continue to remain in a party that does not have one’s interest at heart or make a difference in one’s personal life? The answer to this question is what leads politicians to crossing the carpet.”
Hence, one can broadly argue that what causes changes in political alliance are:

1.Personal Interest: Politics especially in Third World Countries or post-colonial states is seen as a means of production which leads to struggle among social classes to protect their personal interests and that of their immediate family. This is because he who has political power has everything. He determines who gets what, when and how in a state. Many people join politics to fulfill their personal interest not for service. Therefore, in a situation where they (politicians) failed to actualize this self-serving interest or whose interest is under threat has no other option rather than to move from one political party to another in a bid to protect their interest.

2.Lack of Political Ideology: Ideology has been defined as “a fairly coherent and comprehensive set of ideas that explain and evaluate social conditions, help people understand their place in society and provide a programme for social and political action” (Ball and Dagger as quoted in Hayes, 2003). It is a belief system one has in a political system. Therefore a political party without an ideology is a mere gangster formed by political sinners to capture political power for fame and personal aggrandizement. This is because what actually defines or differentiates party A from B is its ideology. And in a situation where there is lack of ideology among political parties people can defect from one political party to another because they are all the same. Under this situation what will be the determinant factor in the tussle will be personal interest not belief.

3.Lack of Internal Party Democracy: Lack of internal party democracy among political parties especially in Nigeria has been attributed as one of the major causes of party defection or cross-carpeting in Nigeria. There is no doubt that many political parties in Nigeria do not follow the tenets of democracy in their internal activities but follow the dictates, whims and caprices of the party leaders or godfathers. Under this situation those who felt short-changed in the process can move to another party.