The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has exempted its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from its newly introduced anti-defection oath, even as the party insists that all candidates on its platform are ordinarily bound by the loyalty requirement.
The party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, aired on Channels Television, where he defended the controversial policy as a constitutional provision embedded in the party’s internal framework.
According to him, the anti-defection oath was introduced to curb the growing trend of elected officials abandoning the parties on whose platforms they secured electoral victory, a practice he said has weakened opposition structures and distorted political balance across the country.
Enekweizu maintained that political parties, as voluntary associations, are entitled to set binding rules for their members, stressing that adherence becomes mandatory upon joining the party.
“A political party is like any other association, and every member who subscribes to its membership is bound by the provisions of its constitution and the decisions of its properly constituted authorities,” he said. “Within the NDC, the decision to make members sign the affidavit is provided for in our constitution.”
He dismissed arguments suggesting the oath infringes on constitutional rights, insisting that membership of any political party implies voluntary acceptance of its internal rules and regulations.
However, in a notable exception, Enekweizu revealed that the party had taken an administrative decision to exempt its presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the requirement, despite the constitutional clause mandating all candidates to sign the loyalty oath.
“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 said.
He further explained that the party’s primary concern is not the executive arm of government but lawmakers, whom he accused of frequently defecting 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.
The NDC recently unveiled the anti-defection measure as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening internal discipline and preventing political opportunism. Party leaders argue that the policy is intended to build a more stable political institution capable of retaining its elected representatives beyond election cycles.