NDC Anti-Defection Exemption – The Trumpet Newspaper Nigeria

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has explained why its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will not be required to sign the party’s newly introduced anti-defection oath.

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The clarification was made by the party’s National Spokesman, Ikenna Enekweizu, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the policy and dismissed concerns that it conflicts with Nigeria’s constitutional provisions.

According to Enekweizu, political parties are voluntary organisations with the authority to establish internal regulations governing the conduct of their members. He argued that the anti-defection requirement is rooted in the party’s constitution and is intended to strengthen loyalty among elected officials.

He noted that while the NDC constitution stipulates that candidates contesting elections on the party’s platform should sign a loyalty affidavit, the party leadership exercised its administrative powers to exempt the presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the requirement.

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“The constitution says everybody running under the platform of the party has to sign, but the party has taken the administrative decision that those required to sign in this instance do not include the presidential candidate and his vice,” Enekweizu said.

The party spokesman explained that the policy is primarily aimed at addressing the recurring issue of elected lawmakers defecting to rival political parties after securing office under the NDC platform.

He said the measure is focused mainly on members of the National Assembly and state legislatures, whom the party believes should remain committed to the platform that facilitated their election.

“Our main focus is not the governor; it’s not the president; it’s the national and state assembly members elected on the platform of our party,” he added.

According to the NDC, the anti-defection policy was introduced to discourage politicians from using the party as a stepping stone to public office before switching allegiance to other political organisations.

The party argued that frequent defections undermine political stability, weaken party structures and erode public confidence in the democratic process.

NDC officials maintain that the initiative is part of broader efforts to promote party discipline, strengthen institutional loyalty and ensure that elected representatives remain accountable to the political platform and electorate that supported their emergence.