ADC Alleges Civil Servants Across Nigeria Being Forced To Join APC Through e-Registration
ADC Alleges Civil Servants Across Nigeria Being Forced To Join APC Through e-Registration
The ADC warned that freedom of thought, conscience, and association are inalienable rights, not privileges to be dispensed by any ruling party.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised the alarm over alleged widespread and disturbing forced ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) political e-registration of civil servants and government workers across several states of the federation.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party alleged that public servants are being coerced to enroll in the ongoing electronic registration exercise of the ruling APC, allegedly under pressure linked to the party’s national leadership.
According to the ADC, reports of the alleged forced APC e-registration, described as consistent and emerging from different parts of the country, point to a coordinated effort to compel civil servants to surrender their constitutional right to freedom of association in exchange for job security, career advancement, or continued access to their livelihoods.
“This is unacceptable in a democratic society,” Abdullahi stated, stressing that compelling Nigerians to belong to a political party amounts to a gross violation of fundamental human rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The ADC warned that freedom of thought, conscience, and association are inalienable rights, not privileges to be dispensed by any ruling party.
It argued that what the APC refers to as “e-registration” is increasingly taking the form of economic coercion and forced membership.
“A political party that truly enjoys popular support does not need to conscript citizens through fear, intimidation, or the weaponization of the payroll,” the party said.
The opposition party added that pressuring civil servants to register for a party they do not believe in amounts to “state-sponsored conscription,” not genuine party growth.
The party further cautioned that the alleged practice poses a serious threat to the neutrality and professionalism of Nigeria’s civil service, which it said is constitutionally expected to be merit-based and loyal to the state rather than to any political organization.
“Turning civil servants into partisan hostages undermines institutional integrity and erodes public trust in governance,” the ADC said.
It also dismissed the value of any political database allegedly built through intimidation, describing such a register as a “paper tiger.”
“Databases do not vote; citizens do,” the party noted, arguing that inflated membership figures achieved through coercion may serve propaganda purposes but cannot conceal what it described as growing public disillusionment with a government that has failed to deliver economic relief, security, or hope.
The ADC called on relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), civil society organizations, labour unions, and the international community, to closely monitor the situation.
It warned that the alleged actions could amount to state-enabled abuse of power as well as violations of data privacy and human rights.
“The ADC calls on relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), civil society organizations, 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,” Abdullahi stated.
