A new anti-defection policy has been implemented by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which mandates that candidates running for elective office on its platform sign legal documents promising to resign from their positions should they leave the party after winning elections.
During a ceremony at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, where party officials unveiled affidavit and indemnity forms for candidates and aspirants ahead of upcoming elections, the development was revealed.
The policy will apply to candidates running for president, governor, National Assembly, and other elective positions under the NDC platform, according to Moses Cleopas, the party’s national chairman.
According to Cleopas, the decision was made to improve party discipline and avoid circumstances in which politicians win elections on a party platform before switching to a different political party.
“A motion that established that individuals elected on our party’s platform must respect the party’s instrument when we take over government was moved, supported, and adopted at our most recent NEC meeting,” he stated.
According to the chairman, the party is committed to upholding the principle of party supremacy and safeguarding its electoral mandates.
One thing we’ve noticed about the current political system is that individuals who run for office and win under political parties are elevated to the status of gods. And on one minor excuse, they will abandon the platform and possibly join the ruling party during the time they should be in office,” he continued.
Citing past election cycles, Cleopas pointed out that even though some opposition parties won on their platforms, they lost a number of elected members.
“The Labour Party is a very common example that we have all witnessed over the past three years, with numerous people winning elections under the party’s platform. We are currently in a new election cycle. Check out their past. He asked, “How many of the individuals who were elected and sworn in under the Labour Party are still party members?”
Although he emphasised that joining the party is still optional, he insisted that anyone running for office under the NDC must consent to follow its internal rules.
You are welcome to run for office under the NDC platform. No one is pressuring you. However, you should be aware that as a political party, we have rules that govern our members when you arrive,” Cleopas said.
Reuben Egwuaba, the party’s National Legal Adviser, also spoke and defended the policy, claiming that political parties function as voluntary organisations subject to member-accepted rules.
“A political party has rules and regulations, just like a club, church, or mosque. For this reason, a candidate of a political party is only an agent of the party, according to Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution, he explained.
He insisted that political parties, not specific candidates, own electoral mandates.
Egwuaba continued, “So, if you are fortunate enough to win an election after securing the party ticket, that does not mean the mandate belongs to you.”
According to the party, the purpose of the indemnity and affidavit forms is to guarantee that elected officials stay loyal to the party for the duration of their terms in office.
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