The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has introduced a stringent anti-defection policy requiring all its candidates to sign indemnity and affidavit forms committing to vacate their seats if they leave the party after winning elections.
The policy applies to presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and other elective positions under the party’s platform. It was unveiled on Tuesday at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
Under the arrangement, candidates are required to sign legal documents binding them to remain in the party throughout their tenure or forfeit their mandates if they defect.
An indemnity form is a legal instrument that transfers financial or legal responsibility from one party to another, effectively holding one party harmless from potential liabilities.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, said the move was necessary to enforce party discipline and protect electoral mandates.
Cleopas said the policy was informed by repeated cases of politicians winning elections on party platforms and later abandoning the party for personal or political reasons.
“In our last NEC meeting, a motion was moved, supported, and established that when we take over the government, people elected on the platform of our party must respect the party’s instrument,” he said.
He added that political parties must not be reduced to mere platforms for personal ambition, stressing the need to build long-term institutional loyalty.
The chairman cited the Labour Party as an example, claiming it lost many elected officials after the 2023 general elections, which weakened its political strength.
Cleopas also stated that while the policy does not contradict the 1999 Constitution, it is designed to strengthen internal party order through voluntary compliance.
According to him, anyone willing to contest under the NDC platform must accept the party’s rules before being fielded.
“If you want to contest the election under the platform of the NDC, you are free to come. Nobody is forcing you,” he said. “But when you come, you should know there are rules guiding membership and participation.”
He further explained that candidates who win elections under the party’s platform would be deemed to hold mandates on behalf of the party, not individually.
The party’s National Legal Adviser, Reuben Egwuaba, defended the policy, describing political parties as voluntary associations governed by internal rules.
He said Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution recognises political parties as structured organisations whose candidates act as agents of the party.
According to him, electoral victory under a party ticket does not transfer absolute ownership of the mandate to the individual candidate.
However, key political figures reportedly linked to the party, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, were absent at the unveiling ceremony.
The policy is widely seen as an attempt by the NDC to curb mass defections that have affected several opposition parties in past election cycles.
Political observers note that the rule could significantly impact high-profile politicians with histories of party switching, as well as newly defected members preparing for the 2027 elections.
Among those referenced in the party’s evolving political structure are figures such as Aishatu Binani, who recently moved through multiple political platforms before joining the NDC in 2026.
The party insists the policy is lawful, voluntary, and designed to ensure stability, discipline, and continuity within its ranks ahead of future elections.
