Politics
NDC mandates all candidates to sign affidavits against defection
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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has introduced a compulsory affidavit for all its candidates seeking elective offices, requiring them to forfeit their seats if they defect from the party after winning elections.
The national chairman of the party, Moses Cleopas, announced the policy during an indemnity signing meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.
He stressed that candidates, including gubernatorial and presidential candidates, must depose to the affidavit.
Cleopas explained that the development was not a witch-hunt but aimed at protecting the sanctity of electoral mandates and curbing what he described as “post-election political migration.”
He said the party would not tolerate situations where elected officials abandon the platform that brought them to office but seek 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.
The National Chairman explained that the policy was intended to ensure candidates clearly accept the condition before contesting elections under the NDC, saying: “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.”
Referencing political realignments across parties, including the Labour Party, he said such cases underscore 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 of the policy, Cleopas cited provisions of both international and domestic legal frameworks, arguing that while freedom of association is guaranteed, it 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, which he said guarantee political participation and freedom of association, including the right to join or leave political parties.
He also pointed to provisions of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended), arguing that democratic rights under the Constitution must be balanced with party-based electoral mandates.
According to him, elected officeholders are products of party nomination systems and therefore cannot separate their mandate from the platform that sponsored their election.
Explaining further, the party’s National Legal Adviser, Barrister Reuben Egwuaba, expanded on the constitutional argument, saying the NDC constitution itself contains enforceable clauses on defection.
He cited Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the NDC Constitution, which, according to him, 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.
Egwuaba added that the affidavit requirement would serve as an enforceable legal undertaking binding candidates before they are cleared to contest.
“Without this affidavit, your name will not even be uploaded to the INEC portal. It is a strict requirement,” he said.
The legal adviser explained that the measure was intended to close what he described as “legal loopholes that allow post-election defections without consequence.”
He further said the policy aligns with the party’s internal disciplinary framework, which empowers it to demand resignation from members who abandon the platform mid-tenure.
The NDC maintained that the new rule was necessary to strengthen party discipline, preserve voter intent and reduce what it called the “distortion of electoral mandates through opportunistic defections.”
Some gubernatorial and National Assembly candidates present at the meeting signed the affidavits before the end of the event. However, the presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, had not come in for the signing, which was still ongoing as at press time.
Politics
Wike blows hot: Says Amaechi unfit for Vice Presidency, slams NBA for acting like a ‘political party’
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, launched a blistering attack on his longtime political adversary and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, declaring that anyone who once shut down courts is fundamentally unfit to serve as Nigeria’s Vice President.
Speaking on Wednesday during his monthly media chat in Port Harcourt, the former Rivers State governor spared no words as he took aim at both Amaechi and the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Addressing journalists, Wike urged Nigerians to critically examine the past actions of political figures claiming to champion democracy and the rule of law before trusting them with high office.
“Rotimi Amaechi, who wants to be Vice President today, once shut down the courts in Rivers State and caused a pregnant woman to give birth in prison,” Wike said.
The minister argued that such precedents should automatically disqualify political aspirants from occupying sensitive executive positions, emphasizing that a track record of undermining the judiciary cannot be brushed aside.
Wike further broadened his critique to target the NBA, accusing the legal body of abandoning its historic role as an impartial defender of justice and constitutionalism in favor of partisan politics.
“The Nigerian Bar Association has now taken sides politically. They are now a political party,” Wike declared.
He maintained that the association ought to remain an independent institution dedicated to upholding the rule of law, rather than serving as an arena for political contests or offering platforms that amount to partisan endorsements.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will not remain passive and allow former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to win the 2027 presidential election, as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the polls.
Wike, who spoke on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in PortHacouct , Rivers State, also dismissed reports that he was planning to relocate to Rivers State, saying his frequent visits to the state were part of efforts to remain politically engaged with his people.
“You want me to fold my hand for Atiku Abubakar to come and win the election?” Wike asked.
The minister said he had no intention of abandoning his responsibilities in Abuja but would continue to maintain close contact with political developments in Rivers State.
“It’s not about relocating; it’s about coming home to relate with the people and talk to them, and also do those things you know how to do very well, not to take chances,” he said.
“So, I’m not relocating. I don’t need to relocate, but I also have to be in touch with my people so that I don’t just sit in Abuja and then say that everything is going on there well.”
According to him, he would not rely solely on assurances from political associates that all was well in Rivers State, particularly as the 2027 general election approaches.
“I don’t want to sit in Abuja and candidates are saying, ‘Oh, don’t bother, everything is going on well’. I have to come home and see that all those things are going on. ‘Have you done this? What about this?’” Wike said.
He stressed that the period had become politically significant and required active engagement, insisting that his presence in Rivers State should not be interpreted as a plan to relocate from the nation’s capital.
Wike added that his parents were still alive and that he had strong personal and political ties to his home state, making regular visits necessary as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.
Osborn Umahi, the 28-year-old son of the Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has been sworn in as Chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Osborn took the oath of office on Tuesday after emerging victorious in the August 22, 2026, local government election, where he contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
The swearing-in ceremony was conducted by Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, and attended by political leaders, government officials and other dignitaries, including David Umahi.
With the inauguration, Osborn formally assumed office as chairman of the council.
He had, during his campaign, pledged to focus on infrastructure development, youth empowerment, support for businesses and improved basic services in the local government.
Osborn also pledged to forgo his salary and allowances throughout his tenure, saying he was seeking to serve rather than benefit financially from the office.
His election came as the APC secured all 13 chairmanship positions in the August 22 local government poll in Ebonyi State.
Osborn, an engineer and businessman, studied civil engineering at the University of Surrey in England before obtaining a master’s degree in finance and investment management from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
His father, David Umahi, served as Ebonyi State governor from 2015 to 2023 before he was appointed Minister of Works by the Federal Government.
The younger Umahi now begins his tenure at the Ohaozara council with his campaign promises, including grassroots development and improved public services, expected to shape his administration.
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