NDC Unveils Tough Anti-Defection Rule, Candidates to Forfeit Seats for Party Switches

By Tgnews Reporter

The National Democratic Coalition (NDC) has introduced a stringent anti-defection policy requiring all its candidates seeking elective positions to sign indemnity and affidavit forms committing to relinquish their seats if they defect from the party after winning elections.

The new measure, announced as part of the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, is aimed at strengthening party discipline, promoting loyalty, and safeguarding the mandate entrusted to candidates by voters under the NDC platform.

Under the policy, every aspirant seeking nomination on the party’s ticket will be required to formally pledge allegiance to the party and accept that any elected office secured through the NDC belongs to the party’s collective mandate rather than the individual officeholder.

According to the party, candidates who emerge victorious in the 2027 elections but subsequently choose to leave the NDC will automatically forfeit the seats won under its banner, in line with the signed legal undertakings.

Party officials described the initiative as a decisive step toward curbing the growing trend of political defections that often alter the balance of representation after elections. They argued that voters cast their ballots based on party platforms, manifestos, and ideologies, making post-election defections a betrayal of public trust.

The NDC maintained that the policy would enhance accountability, strengthen internal democracy, and ensure that elected representatives remain committed to the principles and objectives upon which they were elected.

The development is expected to generate debate within political circles as parties continue to seek mechanisms for addressing the persistent challenge of defections in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 polls.