APC Forcing Civil Servants To Register As Members, ADC Alleges

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has  accused the All Progressive Congress, APC, of engaging in alleged subtle and underhand dealings designed to coerce unsuspecting members of the public, particularly civil servants into  registering as party members.

The allegations are coming amidst the ongoing nation-wide  e-registeration exercise of the ruling party at the centre.

In a statement from its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, the emerging opposition Coalition platform, informed that report received across the states indicate alleged widespread and coordinated moves by the APC  in forcing Nigerians of all hues into registering as members.

According to Abdullahi, civil servants are allegedly being pressured into registering as APC members, as a precondition for job security, career progression or  continued access to their means of livelihoods.

While condemning the alleged development, the ADC described as totally unacceptable and unjust the idea of compelling people to belong to a particular political organization in a democratic arrangement.

The opposition Coalition platform, noted that such action not only tantamount to an act of gross violation of the people’s fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ,but also a direct affront to the basic principles of democracy.

The ADC expressed serious concern that a political party which has been bragging about its popularity and people-oriented programmes could still be coercing citizens to register as members.

“A popular political party that genuinely enjoys popular support does not need to conscript citizens through intimidation or the weaponization of the payroll.

“Pressuring civil servants to register for a party they do not believe in amounts to state-sponsored conscription rather than genuine party growth”, ADC stated.

This is as the party warned that the practice of converting civil servants to partisan players will inexorably result in the undermining of critical democratic institutions, and democratic norms with the attendant loss of credibility ,and erosion of public trust.

However, the opposition platform insisted that mere over-bloated data base, achieved through coercion as allegedly being pursued by the APC, does not in  anyway translate to electoral victory.

According to the ADC, inflated membership figures through intimidation can only serve the the temporary purpose of propaganda, but will not cover the emptiness of the ruling party before the long-suffering people of Nigeria who are battling with unprecedented and excruciating economic hardship, insecurity and declining public confidence.