…as Party exempts Obi, Kwankwaso from legal oath
Mixed reactions have continued to trail the newly introduced anti-defection policy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which requires candidates seeking elective offices on its platform to sign legal documents committing to vacate their positions if they dump the party after winning elections.
The policy, which has sparked intense debate within the nation’s political circles, took a fresh twist following revelations by the party that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, will be exempted from signing the anti-defection oath.
The NDC National Spokesman, Ikenna Enekweizu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today defending the legality of the measure while explaining the leadership’s administrative discretion to excuse its top two standard-bearers.
According to Enekweizu, political parties function as voluntary associations, and their members are strictly bound by internal rules and constitutional provisions.
He dismissed criticisms that the oath violates the country’s ground norm, stressing that the requirement to sign the affidavit is fully backed by the NDC constitution.
“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,” Enekweizu stated.
He further clarified that the primary target of the defensive policy is not the executive branch, but rather lawmakers who secure seats under the party’s umbrella only to defect to rival political movements shortly after taking office.
“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, noting that the NDC is committed to building a lasting political institution and will actively prevent politicians from exploiting the platform merely as a temporary stepping stone to public office.
However, the policy has met with strong reservations from legal and political analysts.
Reacting to the development during a live appearance on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’, the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Dr. Sam Amadi, argued that the party’s approach is fundamentally flawed.
Amadi maintained that no one can stop people from defecting if they believe their actions fall within the provisions of the national constitution.
“The NDC cannot solve a political problem through constitutional interpretation. The NDC is trying to solve a political problem through a constitutional question, but that approach is flawed,” Amadi said.
He insisted that it is legally impossible to exclude individuals from decamping if their reasons align with the exceptions already outlined in the country’s constitution.
“If individuals choose to change political parties, they are allowed to do so, provided their reasons fall within the exceptions outlined in the constitution. In such cases, the law applies as provided,” he argued.