The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly pressuring Nigerian civil servants to register as party members through its ongoing e-registration exercise.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC claimed it had received multiple reports from across the country indicating that public servants were being compelled to enrol in the APC as a condition for job security, career progression, or continued access to their livelihoods.
The party described the alleged development as unacceptable in a democratic society, warning that forcing citizens to belong to a political party amounts to a violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to the ADC, the freedoms of thought, conscience, and association are inalienable and cannot be imposed or withdrawn by any government or political organisation.
The statement further argued that what the APC calls “e-registration” is, in some instances, taking the form of economic coercion and forced political alignment.
“A political party that truly enjoys popular support does not need to conscript citizens through fear, intimidation, or the weaponisation of the payroll,” the statement read, describing the situation as “state-sponsored conscription” rather than organic party growth.
The ADC also expressed concern that the alleged practice threatens the neutrality and professionalism of the Nigerian civil service, which it noted is constitutionally expected to remain non-partisan and loyal to the state, not to any political party.
The party warned that turning civil servants into partisan instruments could undermine institutional credibility and weaken public trust in governance.
It dismissed claims that a growing digital membership database reflects genuine political support, arguing that figures obtained through alleged coercion do not necessarily translate into electoral votes.
“Databases do not vote; citizens do,” the statement added, while linking the alleged actions to broader concerns about economic hardship, insecurity, and declining public confidence.
The ADC called on the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), labour unions, civil society groups, and the international community to monitor the situation closely, noting that the alleged actions may involve abuse of power and potential breaches of data privacy and human rights.
