The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has clarified that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will not be required to sign the party’s recently introduced anti-defection oath, despite provisions in the party’s constitution that generally require candidates to do so.

The clarification was made by the National Spokesman of the party, Ikenna Enekweizu, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the legality and objectives of the NDC’s newly introduced anti-defection policy.

According to Enekweizu, the decision to exempt the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates was taken administratively by the leadership of the party and does not invalidate the broader policy, which is primarily designed to strengthen party discipline and discourage the growing trend of political defections among elected lawmakers.

He explained that while the party’s constitution provides that every candidate contesting on the platform of the NDC should sign the loyalty documents, the leadership exercised its administrative discretion in determining that the requirement would not apply to the party’s two highest-ranking candidates in the 2027 general elections.

“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.

His remarks came amid public debate over the legality and practicality of the anti-defection policy announced by the NDC earlier this week.

The policy requires candidates seeking elective office on the party’s platform to execute indemnity and affidavit forms committing themselves to vacate their seats should they defect from the party after winning elections.

The move has generated mixed reactions from political observers, legal analysts and members of the public, with some questioning whether such an undertaking is consistent with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution governing elected public officials.

However, Enekweizu dismissed suggestions that the policy contravenes the Nigerian Constitution, insisting that political parties are voluntary associations whose members freely agree to abide by internal rules and constitutional provisions before seeking elective office.

According to him, every individual who chooses to contest elections under the NDC platform does so voluntarily and is therefore expected to comply with the party’s internal regulations.

He argued that political parties possess the constitutional authority to establish internal guidelines that promote discipline, accountability and loyalty among members, provided such rules are accepted by those seeking to benefit from the party’s platform.

The party spokesman stressed that the anti-defection initiative was never designed to target executive office holders such as governors or the president.

Instead, he said, the primary objective is to address the increasing number of legislators who secure electoral victories under one political party only to defect to another shortly after assuming office.

According to him, this recurring practice has weakened opposition parties, distorted the electoral mandate given by voters and undermined democratic accountability.

“Our main focus is not the governor; it’s not the president, it’s the National Assembly and State Assembly members elected on the platform of our party,” Enekweizu explained.

He noted that the NDC leadership considers legislative defections one of the major challenges confronting Nigeria’s democratic system, arguing that voters often elect candidates because of the political parties they represent, only to see those representatives switch allegiance after taking office.

Enekweizu maintained that the new policy is intended to preserve the integrity of the party’s electoral mandates and discourage politicians from treating political parties merely as temporary vehicles for winning elections.

He stated that the NDC is determined to build a stable and enduring political institution capable of surviving beyond individual political ambitions.

According to him, the party does not want elected officials to abandon the platform immediately after benefiting from its structure, support and electoral machinery.

He added that the leadership remains committed to ensuring that the sacrifices made by party members during election campaigns are not undermined by post-election defections motivated by personal or political interests.

The spokesman further explained that the anti-defection policy forms part of broader institutional reforms aimed at strengthening internal democracy, promoting accountability and ensuring that elected officials remain committed to the ideals and programmes upon which they were elected.

He argued that political stability can only be achieved when parties develop mechanisms to preserve their mandates and discourage opportunistic defections that weaken democratic institutions.

The NDC recently unveiled the anti-defection policy during a ceremony at its national secretariat in Abuja, where party leaders announced that candidates for various elective positions would be required to sign indemnity and affidavit forms before receiving the party’s nomination.

Under the arrangement, candidates would undertake to relinquish their seats if they voluntarily defect from the party after winning elections.

Party leaders said the policy was introduced following repeated experiences in Nigeria’s political landscape where elected officials abandoned the political parties that sponsored their elections for rival parties, particularly those in government.

The leadership argued that such defections have contributed significantly to weakening opposition parties, eroding voter confidence and undermining democratic competition.

According to the party, the new policy is designed to protect the mandate entrusted to the NDC by voters and to ensure that elected representatives remain accountable to both the party and the electorate throughout their tenure.

Although the exemption granted to Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso has attracted attention, Enekweizu insisted that it does not diminish the party’s commitment to enforcing the policy where it considers it most necessary.

He reiterated that the principal objective remains safeguarding legislative mandates and preventing the loss of elected representatives to rival political parties after elections.

As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the NDC says it will continue implementing internal reforms aimed at strengthening party cohesion, enhancing discipline among members and building a resilient political institution capable of sustaining its ideals beyond future electoral cycles.