Why we want Peter Obi, Kwankwaso, others to sign anti-defection pact — NDC explains

By Biola Adebayo On Jun 17, 2026

Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, sign, anti-defection pact, NDC — (L-R) Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has explained why it is requiring all its candidates, including its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, running mate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and other aspirants, to sign a binding anti-defection agreement ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The opposition party said the policy is aimed at protecting its electoral mandates and preventing a repeat of the wave of defections that has weakened several political parties in recent years.

Speaking at the unveiling of the policy at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, said every candidate seeking to contest on the party’s platform would be required to sign affidavit and indemnity forms committing to vacate office if they defect after winning an election.

According to Cleopas, the decision was reached during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and is intended to strengthen party discipline and ensure elected officials remain loyal to the platform that sponsored them.

He lamented a recurring trend in Nigeria’s political landscape where politicians secure electoral victories under one party and later move to another, often the ruling party, after assuming office.

“People contest elections and win under political parties, but after getting elected, they suddenly abandon the platform that gave them the opportunity. This has become a major challenge in our democracy,” he said.

The NDC chairman cited the experience of the Labour Party after the 2023 general elections as one of the reasons behind the policy.

According to him, many individuals who won elections under the Labour Party later left the party, weakening its political strength and influence.

“If those elected officials had remained in the Labour Party, the party would have been much stronger today. These are the realities that make it necessary for political parties to put safeguards in place,” he stated.

Cleopas stressed that membership of the NDC is voluntary, but candidates must agree to abide by the party’s rules before receiving its ticket.

He maintained that electoral mandates belong to political parties rather than individuals, insisting that anyone who decides to leave the NDC after winning an election should relinquish the office secured through the party’s platform.

“If you contest under the NDC and win, the mandate belongs to the party. If you choose to leave, you should also leave behind what you obtained through the party,” he said.

To enforce the policy, the party’s legal team has prepared an affidavit and indemnity documents that all candidates will be required to sign before participating in elections.

NDC National Legal Adviser, Reuben Egwuaba, defended the move, arguing that political parties are voluntary associations governed by rules accepted by members.

He noted that the Constitution recognises political parties as the vehicles through which candidates contest elections and maintained that elected officials remain representatives of the parties that sponsored them throughout their tenure.

The unveiling of the anti-defection policy comes amid growing concerns over political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although Obi, Kwankwaso and several other prominent figures were absent from the event, the policy is expected to apply to all NDC candidates without exception.