Obi, Kwankwaso Exempted” – NDC Clarifies Why It Introduced Anti-Defection Oath

According to Ireporter Online, the National Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Ikenna Enekweizu, has defended the party’s introduction of a loyalty oath for its candidates, maintaining that the policy is constitutional and intended to address the recurring issue of political defections among elected officials.

Enekweizu made this known on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he rejected claims that the policy infringes on constitutional rights, insisting that political parties are empowered to set internal rules binding on their members.

He explained that membership of any political party comes with obligations under the party’s constitution, stressing that members are required to abide by its provisions and decisions of duly constituted party organs. According to him, the loyalty affidavit introduced by the NDC is firmly grounded in its internal regulations.

The party secretary further argued that established legal principles support the view that members of associations are bound by their governing constitutions, noting that such matters are well settled in law and can only be tested in court if challenged.

He added that the party is still in a learning phase and is drawing lessons from the experiences of other political parties, emphasizing that the objective is to strengthen internal discipline and prevent instability caused by defections.

Enekweizu said the NDC introduced the policy to safeguard its institutional integrity and ensure that elected officials remain committed to the platform that brought them into office. He echoed the position of the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, who said the decision was informed by repeated cases of politicians abandoning the parties that sponsored their electoral victories.

He further stressed that the party does not intend to serve as a mere vehicle for elections, but rather as a long-term political institution built on loyalty and continuity, adding that such practices would not be tolerated within the NDC.

Referencing the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, Enekweizu pointed to instances where lawmakers elected on the platform of the Labour Party later defected to other parties, saying the NDC is determined to avoid a similar situation through preventive measures.

However, he disclosed that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, would be exempted from signing the loyalty affidavit, explaining that the directive primarily targets legislative candidates who are more prone to defection.

He concluded that the party’s main concern is with members of the national and state assemblies who abandon the platform shortly after being elected, rather than governors or presidential office holders.