The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of forcing Nigerians, mostly civil servants, to register as members of the party.
ADC, in a statement issued on Sunday by the National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said such act is violation of their fundamental human rights, as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Freedom of thought, conscience, and association are not privileges to be granted by the ruling party; they are inalienable rights that no government has the authority to abridge,” the party stated.
ADC described APC’s e-registration as “Economic coercion and forced membership.”
It reminded the ruling party that a political party that truly enjoys popular support does not need to conscript its citizens through fear, intimidation, or the weaponisation of the payroll.
“When civil servants are pressured to register for a party that they do not believe in, that is not party growth; it is state-sponsored conscription,” ADC stated.
According to the party, the development poses a grave threat to the integrity and professionalism of the Nigerian and state civil services.
“The civil service is meant to be neutral, merit-based, and loyal to the state and the country, not to any political party.
“Turning civil servants into partisan hostages undermines institutional integrity and erodes public trust in governance,” ADC said.
The party warned that a database filled through coercion “is a paper tiger,” adding that “a digital register does not translate to genuine political support.”
According to the opposition party, “databases do not vote; citizens do. Inflated numbers achieved through intimidation may serve propaganda purposes, but they cannot disguise the growing alienation of Nigerians from a government that has failed to deliver economic relief, security, or hope.”
ADC, however, called on relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), civil society organisations, labour unions, and the international community, “to take serious note of what increasingly appears to be a state-enabled abuse of power and a potential violation of data privacy and human rights.”
