NDC Introduces Anti-Defection Affidavit for 2027 Candidates
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has defended its decision to require all aspirants seeking elective offices on its platform to sign indemnity and affidavit forms before receiving the party’s ticket.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, National Chairman Moses Cleopas said the measure aims to curb decamping and political prostitution, protect the party’s electoral mandate, and strengthen internal discipline.
Cleopas noted that politicians often win elections under a party’s banner only to abandon it after assuming office, a trend the party can no longer ignore.
The policy was approved at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting as part of broader efforts to stop elected officials from treating party mandates as personal property.
Statement from NDC Director of New Media
Theo Abu Agada, NDC Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, explained that the initiative is backed by the Nigerian Constitution and has historical precedent.
The NDC Anti-Decamping Initiative is a party-backed innovation aimed at curbing decamping and political prostitution.
NDC Statement
The statement continues:
While individuals are free to leave the party if they so desire, they must vacate their seats. This position is fully consistent with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
Where a division occurs in the party as defined by the Constitution, there is no issue; affected members are free to exit with constitutional protection. However, if an elected official chooses to leave purely for personal convenience in pursuit of a better deal with another party, they may do so but must relinquish the mandate.
The official retains the right to exit the party, but they cannot take the mandate with them. They would need to contest on a new platform, triggering a by‑election.
This practice was standard in Nigeria’s First and Second Republics. For instance, when Sule Lamido left the PRP, he honourably resigned his position, contested on a new platform, and won. This was the norm then, and it remains the practice in the United Kingdom and other mature democracies.
Through this initiative, the NDC is not preventing anyone from leaving the party. Constitutional protections for genuine party divisions, such as those witnessed in the PDP remain intact. However, where a member defects out of mere convenience, they must vacate the seat.
The affidavit required under this initiative does not add to or alter the Constitution; it merely reinforces it. It strengthens the moral authority of the party and provides a clear, sworn declaration that authorises the NDC to pursue the formal declaration of the seat as vacant.
Agada added that while members are free to depart, they must first give up their elected positions, ensuring that the electorate’s choice is respected.
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