By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has exempted its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from a newly introduced anti-defection oath designed to discourage elected officials from abandoning the party after elections.
The party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, disclosed the development during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, explaining that while the requirement is embedded in the party’s constitution, an administrative decision was taken to exclude the presidential ticket from the policy.
Enekweizu said the anti-defection affidavit forms part of the party’s internal regulations and is intended to strengthen discipline and loyalty among members seeking elective offices on the NDC platform.
According to him, political parties are voluntary associations governed by constitutions and rules that members are expected to obey.
He noted that although the party constitution requires all candidates to sign the oath, the leadership resolved that the provision would not apply to Obi and Kwankwaso in the current circumstance.
The NDC scribe explained that the measure was primarily introduced to address the recurring trend of lawmakers defecting from political parties shortly after securing electoral victories.
“Our focus is largely on members elected into the National Assembly and state assemblies who often leave the party after benefiting from its platform,” he said.
Enekweizu added that the party remains committed to building a stable political structure anchored on loyalty, discipline, and long-term institutional growth.
Political defections have remained a major feature of Nigeria’s democratic landscape, with elected officials frequently switching allegiances after elections, a development that has often weakened party structures and altered political balances across the country.
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