‘NDC’s Anti-Defection Policy Is Dubious’ – Sam Amadi

The Director of Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, has claimed that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) anti-defection policy is dubious.

Naija News recalls that the NDC recently introduced a loyalty affidavit policy aimed at preventing elected officials from abandoning the party after winning elections on its platform.

The party said the measure was designed to protect its institutional integrity and ensure that elected representatives remain loyal to the mandate given to them by voters.

National Chairman of the party, Moses Cleopas, had said the decision was informed by repeated cases of politicians defecting from the parties that sponsored them into office.

Speaking on the development, Amadi, during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ programme, said the anti-defection policy shows a lack of trust in those taking the party’s ticket.

According to Amadi, the NDC should be focused on winning the election and the presidency.

He said, “I think this NDC’s anti-defection policy is dubious. The psychology and sense in which the party is pushing this act could be considered as a distrust in its candidates and shows weakness.

“Their focus should be on winning the election and the presidency. Once you win the presidency, the people there will stay with you. And so the history says that once you lose, people will likely go for the winner’s party.

“And so, for me, at this point, it quite doesn’t suggest strength, it doesn’t suggest coherence, it rather suggests distrust of their own candidates.

“So, NDC doing this looks like innovation, but in essence, it’s really a sign of lack of trust on those who are taking the ticket, and a sense of its own weakness.”