The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have introduced a new measure to discourage defections among its members after elections. This policy targets governorship and National Assembly candidates specifically.
The measure requires all candidates to sign an indemnity form. They must commit to vacating their seats if they leave the party after winning elections on its platform.
The policy was unveiled by the party’s national chairman, Moses Cleopas. The signing ceremony took place at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.
The occasion was attended by aspirants and candidates. They gathered ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr Cleopas explained that the development was not a witch-hunt. The policy aimed at protecting the sanctity of electoral mandates and curbing post-election political migration.
He said the party would not tolerate situations where elected officials abandon the platform that brought them to office while seeking to retain the mandate.
“The mandate belongs to the party and the people who voted through that platform. If you leave the party after winning, you cannot continue to hold the seat,” he said.
Policy Legality Based on Constitutional Provisions
The national chairman explained that the policy ensures candidates clearly accept the condition before contesting elections on the NDC platform.
“We are putting this in black and white. Once you take the ticket, you are bound by it. If you leave, you leave with the seat,” he said.
Referencing political realignments across parties, including the Labour Party, he said such cases underscored the need for stricter internal safeguards.
“In the Labour Party, we have seen situations where people won elections on the platform and later moved elsewhere. That is the kind of thing we are trying to stop,” he said.
On the legal basis, Mr Cleopas cited provisions from international and domestic legal frameworks. He argued that freedom of association is guaranteed but does not automatically extend to retaining elective office after defection.
He specifically referenced Section 14 and Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“It guarantees political participation and freedom of association, including the right to join or leave political parties,” he said.
Mr Cleopas also cited provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He argued that democratic rights must be balanced with party-based electoral mandates.
According to him, elected officeholders are products of party nomination systems. Therefore, they cannot separate their mandates from the platform that sponsored their election.
The NDC stated that the new anti-decamping initiative is a constitutional and moral safeguard against political prostitution and opportunistic defections.
The party clarified that the measure does not bar elected officials from leaving the party. However, they must relinquish the mandate obtained on the party’s platform.
“It’s an NDC-backed innovation to stop decamping and political prostitution. Anyone who wants to leave, they are free to leave, but you will have to vacate the seat. And that is even what the Constitution says. So our position aligns with the Constitution,” the party said.
Historical Precedent Supports NDC Position
The party drew a clear distinction between genuine party divisions and self-serving defections.
“If there is a division in the party as defined by the Constitution, there’s no problem, you can go! The Constitution covers you in that case. But where you just feel on your own that you have won and you wish to leave to get a better deal with another party, you can go, but you will vacate the seat,” the party stated.
The party emphasized that elected officials retain the right to exit but cannot take the mandate with them.
“The elected official still reserves the right to leave the party, but what we are saying is that you can’t go with the mandate. Go and contest on a new platform. There will be a by-election for you to contest. This was the case in the First and Second Republics,” the party added.
Citing historical precedent, the party referenced former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido's resignation from the Peoples Redemption Party.
"Sule Lamido, when he left PRP, he resigned. It’s an honourable thing to do and that’s what people were doing — you resign and go to a new party and contest. Even in the UK, that’s the way it is,” the party noted.
The NDC explained that the affidavit requirement merely reinforces existing constitutional provisions.
“The affidavit is not adding anything to the Constitution; it only reinforces the Constitution. This increases the moral standing of the party and authorises the party to pursue your declaration to ensure that the seat is declared vacant — in black and white, signed by you on oath,” the party stated.
Addressing concerns about the party’s nascent stage, the NDC acknowledged teething problems but urged patience. The NDC is barely four months old and has faced challenges with primaries and internal processes.
“NDC is working towards becoming an inclusive and attractive platform for anybody to want to stay, and we want everybody to stay and build the party with us. If things are not right, stay and make it right. Don’t destroy it and leave. If things are good, stay and make it better,” the statement said.
The party leadership appealed to stakeholders to bear with the party’s baby steps. Ongoing reforms include digitalisation of primaries and the anti-decamping initiative.
“We have always talked about building a party like the ANC, the Democratic Party, Republican Party, Conservative Party, and the Labour Party in the UK. This is the direction the NDC seems to be going, and aspirants, leaders and supporters need to key in,” the party leadership stated.
Explaining further, the party’s national legal adviser, Reuben Egwuaba, expanded on the constitutional argument. He said the NDC constitution itself contains enforceable clauses on defection.
Mr Egwaba cited Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the NDC constitution. According to him, these establish that elected officials remain bound by the party platform through which they were elected.
“These provisions make it clear that once you are elected under the NDC, your mandate is tied to the party. If you resign from the party, you cannot retain the office,” he said.
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