NDC reveals why Peter Obi, Kwankwaso will be exempted from anti-defection oath

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) announced that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, will not be required to sign the party’s newly introduced anti‑defection oath.

National spokesman Ikenna Enekweizu explained the decision during a Wednesday interview on Politics Today, a program on Channels Television.

Enekweizu defended the legality of the oath, noting that political parties are voluntary associations whose members are bound by internal rules and constitutional provisions. He dismissed accusations that the oath violates the country’s fundamental norms, stating that the requirement to sign the affidavit is fully supported by the NDC constitution.

According to Enekweizu, the party leadership has exercised administrative discretion to exempt its top two standard‑bearers from the mandate. “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.

The spokesperson added that the primary target of the policy is not the executive branch but lawmakers who secure seats under the party’s banner only to defect to rival 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.

Enekweizu said the NDC is committed to building a lasting, durable political institution and will actively prevent politicians from exploiting the platform merely as a temporary stepping stone to public office.

DAILY POST notes that the party recently rolled out the policy to curb the rising trend of elected officials abandoning their sponsoring platforms, a trend leaders say weakens political organizations and damages voter confidence.