OBI, KWANKWASO, OTHERS SIGN STRICT ANTI-DEFECTION PLEDGE AS NDC TIGHTENS PARTY CONTROL

OBI, KWANKWASO, OTHERS SIGN STRICT ANTI-DEFECTION PLEDGE AS NDC TIGHTENS PARTY CONTROL

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has introduced a stringent anti-defection framework requiring all its candidates for elective positions to sign legal undertakings committing them to vacate their seats if they defect from the party after winning elections.

The policy was formally unveiled on Tuesday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja during a signing ceremony attended by selected candidates and aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections. The move is aimed at strengthening internal discipline and curbing the growing trend of post-election defections among politicians.

According to the party leadership, the new arrangement mandates candidates to sign indemnity and affidavit documents before being issued party tickets. The documents reportedly bind elected officials to the party’s platform throughout their tenure, with consequences for any breach of the agreement.

NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, explained that the decision was reached following repeated cases of elected officials abandoning the parties that sponsored their victories. He said the party could no longer ignore what it described as a pattern that weakens political structures after elections.

Cleopas stated that political office holders elected under the party’s platform are expected to remain loyal, adding that the mandate, in the party’s view, is tied to its institutional structure. He emphasized that the policy was designed to prevent elected officials from using the party as a vehicle for electoral victory and later defecting for personal or political reasons.

The party leadership also argued that internal reforms were necessary to preserve party stability and ensure continuity in political representation. Officials at the event said the initiative was part of broader efforts to build a more disciplined political structure ahead of the next general elections.

The policy is expected to affect prominent members of the party, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, both of whom are listed among recent entrants into the NDC ahead of the 2027 polls. However, both politicians were not present at the signing ceremony in Abuja.

Party officials referenced past political realignments involving key figures, noting that several politicians have moved across different parties over the years. The leadership maintained that the new rule is intended to reduce such movements after elections and reinforce party loyalty.

The NDC’s National Legal Adviser, Reuben Egwuaba, defended the policy, describing political parties as voluntary associations governed by internal rules accepted by members. He added that candidates who choose to contest under the party’s platform must be ready to abide by its regulations.

Egwuaba further noted that the party’s legal framework includes provisions that reinforce its control over electoral mandates, stating that candidates who benefit from the party’s structure are expected to remain within it throughout their tenure.

The development has generated political interest, particularly due to the involvement of high-profile figures and the potential implications for party stability and candidate mobility in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.

As of the time of filing this report, the NDC has continued its candidate documentation process as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.