The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has introduced a new requirement for its governorship and National Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, mandating them to sign an indemnity form committing to relinquish their seats if they defect from the party after winning office.
The policy was unveiled by the party's National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, during a signing ceremony held at the NDC national secretariat in Abuja. The event was attended by party aspirants and candidates preparing for the 2027 polls.
Cleopas said the measure is designed to safeguard electoral mandates and discourage elected officials from abandoning the platform that sponsored their election.
"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.
According to him, the policy is not intended to target individuals but to address the growing trend of post-election defections.
"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," Cleopas stated.
The NDC chairman cited recent political realignments across parties as evidence of the need for stronger internal mechanisms to preserve party loyalty.
"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 added.
Defending the legal basis of the policy, Cleopas referenced provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, particularly Section 14 and Article 11, which guarantee political participation and freedom of association.
"It guarantees political participation and freedom of association, including the right to join or leave political parties," he said.
He argued, however, that while individuals are free to change political affiliations, elected mandates are linked to the political parties that sponsored candidates for office. He also pointed to provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to support the party's position that democratic rights must be balanced with party-based electoral mandates.
The party's National Legal Adviser, Reuben Egwuaba, said the NDC constitution contains provisions that make elected officials accountable to the party under whose platform they were elected.
Citing Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the party's constitution, Egwuaba maintained that elected officeholders remain bound by the party throughout their tenure.
> "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.
The NDC said the new requirement is intended to ensure that all candidates clearly understand and accept the conditions attached to contesting elections on the party's platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
