NDC leaves Obi and Kwankwaso out of anti-defection rule

The Nigeria Democratic Congress has decided not to include its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in a new requirement for candidates to sign an anti-defection oath.

The party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, shared this news on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Enekweizu said the oath aims to stop elected officials from leaving the party after elections. He noted that this rule is part of the NDC constitution and is meant to guide all party members.

He explained that political parties are voluntary groups. Members should follow the rules they agreed to and decisions made by the party’s leaders.

“First and foremost, a political party is like any other association, and every member who subscribes to the membership of the party is bound by the provisions of the constitution of the party and decisions taken by the party’s properly constituted authorities.

“Within NDC, the decision to make people sign that affidavit is provided for in our constitution,” he said.

While he insisted that all candidates usually need to sign the oath, Enekweizu mentioned that the party leadership decided to exempt the presidential and vice-presidential candidates from this rule.

“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,” he stated.

He added that the measure focuses on the frequent defection of lawmakers at both national and state levels after elections.

“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 said.

Enekweizu explained that the anti-defection rule was created to protect the party’s structure. It aims to stop elected officials from only using the party for elections and then leaving afterward.

He said the party is committed to building a strong political institution that can maintain loyalty, discipline, and long-term unity.

Political defections have been a regular part of Nigeria’s democracy. Elected officials at different levels often switch parties after elections. They sometimes cite internal problems, differences in beliefs, or changes in political alignment.

This trend has caused instability in party structures and weakened opposition parties. Many parties have introduced internal rules to enforce loyalty among their members.