The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that civil servants across Nigeria are being pressured to register as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through the ruling party’s ongoing electronic registration exercise.
The opposition party raised the allegation in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, claiming that the practice is widespread and coordinated.
According to the ADC, reports from multiple states indicate that public sector workers are allegedly being compelled to sign up for the APC under the threat of negative consequences, including risks to job security, stalled career advancement, or loss of access to economic opportunities.
The party described the alleged actions as incompatible with democratic principles, warning that compelling individuals to associate with a political party violates constitutionally protected freedoms.
It argued that the freedom of thought, conscience, and association, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, cannot be imposed or withdrawn by any political authority or ruling party.
The ADC further claimed that what the APC has described as a digital membership drive is, in practice, becoming a form of economic and political coercion.
“A political party that genuinely enjoys the support of the people does not need to rely on fear, intimidation, or the manipulation of public sector employment,” the statement said.
The party warned that forcing civil servants into partisan activity threatens the neutrality of the Nigerian civil service, which it said is constitutionally required to remain professional, merit-driven, and loyal to the state rather than to any political organisation.
According to the ADC, politicising the civil service undermines institutional credibility and weakens public confidence in governance.
It also dismissed claims that rising digital membership figures reflect genuine political support, insisting that numbers obtained through pressure or intimidation do not translate into electoral success.
“Databases do not vote; citizens do,” the statement said, adding that inflated membership figures may serve propaganda purposes but cannot mask what it described as growing public dissatisfaction driven by economic hardship, insecurity, and declining trust in government.
The ADC called on relevant authorities — including the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), labour unions, civil society organisations, and the international community — to monitor the situation closely, warning that the alleged actions could amount to abuse of power, data privacy violations, and breaches of fundamental human rights.