Party Is Becoming Imposing” – Kwankwaso Reacts To NDC’s Anti-Defection Policy

According to Ireporter Online, the Vice-Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed support for the party’s newly introduced indemnity form aimed at curbing defection among elected officials, describing it as a positive step toward strengthening internal discipline and reinforcing constitutional expectations on political mandate.

Kwankwaso stated that the policy aligns with the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution, which discourages elected officeholders from abandoning the political platforms under which they were elected. His position was conveyed through the spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Habibu Saleh Mohammed.

The NDC recently unveiled a loyalty affidavit requirement for its candidates, designed to prevent elected representatives from defecting after securing electoral victory on the party’s platform. The initiative, according to the party, is intended to preserve institutional integrity and ensure that mandates given by voters are not undermined by post-election party switching.

National Chairman of the NDC, Moses Cleopas, explained that the policy was introduced in response to recurring cases of politicians abandoning their sponsoring parties after winning elections.

Reacting further, Kwankwaso maintained that the measure reflects constitutional principles guiding political accountability and party loyalty. Mohammed emphasized that the policy effectively enforces what the constitution already implies regarding political allegiance after elections.

He also noted that the Kwankwasiyya movement has previously suffered setbacks due to defections by key figures, citing the exit of former Kano State Governor and erstwhile deputy leader of the movement, Abdullahi Ganduje, as a significant example that shaped their stance on party loyalty.

Mohammed added that the policy would help discourage the use of political parties merely as platforms for electoral victory, only for beneficiaries to defect afterward to rival parties.