Intimidation and coercion have allegedly taken place within the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) following claims that the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, and members of the party’s national leadership are compelling candidates who emerged victorious in the party’s primaries to sign a controversial Affidavit of Affirmation and Undertaking as a condition for retaining their candidacies.
Sources within the party told SaharaReporters that candidates who refuse to sign the affidavit are being threatened with replacement by individuals who did not win the party’s primaries but are willing to execute the document.
According to one source familiar with the development, the affidavit is being used as a political tool to enforce absolute loyalty to the party leadership and to prevent elected office holders from defecting to other political parties.
The source said, “They are using it to replace many candidates who won primaries of NDC but refused to sign this affidavit, with people who did not win the primaries of NDC but are ready to sign the affidavit. What a dictatorship and tyranny of the highest order.”
A copy of the affidavit obtained by SaharaReporters shows that candidates seeking elective offices on the platform of the NDC are required to swear before either the Federal High Court or a State High Court that they will remain loyal to the party throughout their tenure if elected.
Meanwhile, the affidavit, obtained by SaharaReporters, is titled “Affidavit of Affirmation and Undertaking” and is intended to be sworn before either the Federal High Court Registry or a State High Court Registry.
The document requires candidates to make a series of commitments to the party, including pledging not to defect from the NDC after being elected into office.
According to the affidavit, candidates are required to declare that they are aware of the provisions of Article 15.06 (i), (ii) and (iii) of the NDC Constitution 2026 (as amended), dealing with what the party describes as “Special Provisions with Respect to Political Office Holders Elected on the Platform of the Party.”
A section of the affidavit states:
“That I shall abide fully with the provisions of Article 15.06 (i), (ii) and (iii) of the NDC Constitution 2026 as amended.”
The document further compels candidates to undertake that they will not defect from the NDC to another political party if elected.
It states: “That as a candidate sponsored by the party for the above stated elective office, that if I am elected into the said office, I will not defect or decamp from the NDC to any other political party during the term of the office into which I am elected.”
The affidavit also contains a provision requiring elected officials to resign from office before leaving the party.
According to the document: “That where I see the need to defect or decamp from the NDC to any other political party during the duration of the term of office into which I am elected on the platform of the NDC, I shall forthwith resign from the said office or position into which I am elected on the platform of the NDC, before decamping or defecting to any other party.”
In another far-reaching clause, candidates are required to agree that any future defection would automatically amount to a resignation from office and would authorise the NDC to take legal and political steps to enforce such resignation.
The affidavit states: “That where I defect or decamp to any other political party during the duration of the term of the office I was elected into on the platform of the NDC, that I shall be deemed to have resigned from the said office and the NDC is hereby authorized by me to take all legitimate actions to enforce my said resignation and removal from the said office.”
The document goes further by requiring any defecting office holder to bear all legal and administrative costs incurred by the party in enforcing the resignation.
It reads: “The cost of all that the NDC shall do to enforce my resignation from the said office in accordance with the provisions of the party constitution and this affidavit, including all legal and other fees, shall be charged to me and paid for by me.”
Candidates are also required to commit themselves to governing strictly in line with the party’s ideology and constitution if elected.
The affidavit provides:”That if elected into office on the platform of the NDC, all my activities, decisions and policies while in office shall be guided and governed by the vision, ideology and governing principles of the party as contained in the Constitution of the NDC, 2026 (as amended).”
In addition, the document demands an unconditional pledge of loyalty to the party.
It states:”That I am committed to the growth and development of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, and for same reason, I pledge my unreserved loyalty to the party, for the growth and progress of the party.”
Another controversial clause provides that whenever a candidate’s personal interest conflicts with that of the party, the party’s interest must prevail.
The affidavit states:”That where my personal interest conflicts with the party’s, the interest of the party shall prevail without any recourse to me.”
The final section of the affidavit requires candidates to swear that all the information contained therein is true and made in accordance with the Oaths Act.
The affidavit is to be signed by the deponent and endorsed by a Commissioner for Oaths either at the Federal High Court Registry or a State High Court Registry.
Party insiders who spoke to SaharaReporters expressed concern that the affidavit could be used to intimidate candidates and consolidate the control of the national leadership over elected officials.
SaharaReporters previously reported a political aspirant seeking to contest for a senatorial seat under the platform of the NDC has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing members of the party’s Senatorial Screening Committee of allegedly obtaining the sum of N20,000,000 through misrepresentation, undue influence and coercive pressure.
Sources familiar with the development told SaharaReporters that the aspirant, whose identity is being withheld due to the ongoing investigation, submitted a formal petition to the Chairman of the EFCC at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, alleging fraudulent inducement and obtaining money under false pretences.
According to the source, the petition is complaining of the procurement of the sum of N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) through misrepresentation, undue influence and coercive pressure by Members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial screening committee.
The source disclosed that the controversy arose after the aspirant had already fulfilled the party’s official requirements for participation in its nomination process.
“Following the release of the party guidelines for congresses and nomination processes, our client purchased the party’s Expression of Interest Form at the cost of N3,000,000 (Three Million Naira) and completed all requirements stipulated therein,” the source said.
According to documents made available to SaharaReporters, the source stated that despite complying with the official guidelines, the aspirant was subsequently pressured by members of the screening committee to make an additional payment of N20million under circumstances he described as fraudulent and coercive.
SaharaReporters obtained a handwritten document containing bank account details forwarded to the aspirant for the payment.
The account details indicate: Account Name: NDC, Account Number:1046691859, Bank: First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
Meanwhile, the document instructed the aspirant to pay the sum of N20,000,000 into the account.
Further documents obtained by SaharaReporters include a payment receipt showing that the N20million was subsequently paid into the party’s account.
The source further disclosed that the aspirant’s legal team has formally written to the EFCC, urging the anti-graft agency to investigate what it described as a scheme involving fraudulent inducement, obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy, undue influence and misrepresentation.
(SaharaReporters)
