The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has clarified that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, will not be required to sign the party’s newly introduced anti-defection oath.
In an interview on Channels Television, monitored by The News Chronicle, the party’s National Spokesman, Ikenna Enekweizu, made this clarification while defending the legality of the policy.
Enekweizu said political parties operate as voluntary associations and are therefore empowered by their internal constitutions to set binding rules for members.
He dismissed claims that the oath contravenes Nigeria’s Constitution, insisting the requirement is grounded in the NDC’s internal regulations.
However, he explained that the party’s leadership had exercised administrative discretion to exempt its presidential ticket from the directive.
“Those required to sign in this instance do not include the presidential candidate and his vice,” he said.
According to him, the policy is not targeted at executive offices such as governors or the president, but is instead aimed at lawmakers who defect after winning elections on the party’s platform.
“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.
Enekweizu said the NDC is committed to building a stable political structure and will move to curb what it describes as the misuse of party platforms by politicians who abandon the party after securing elective positions.
The party recently introduced the anti-defection policy, which requires candidates to sign indemnity and affidavit forms committing to vacate their seats if they defect, in a bid to reduce political defections and strengthen party loyalty.
