The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised serious concerns over reports that civil servants and public sector workers across several states are being pressured to participate in the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) ongoing electronic membership registration exercise. The opposition party described the alleged practice as an infringement on fundamental rights and a threat to democratic norms.
In a statement issued on Sunday by ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party warned that efforts to compel public servants to register for the ruling party under the guise of e-registration amounted to “economic coercion and forced membership.” The ADC said such actions violate the constitutional right to freedom of association and undermine the apolitical nature of the civil service.
The statement added that the reports suggest “a coordinated attempt to compel public servants to surrender their freedom of association as a condition for job security, career progression, or continued access to livelihood.” The party argued that using employment status or livelihood as leverage to influence political affiliation is unacceptable in a democratic society.
According to the ADC, a political party that genuinely enjoys popular support should not need to resort to pressure or intimidation. “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,” the party said, emphasising the threat such practices pose to institutional integrity and public trust.
The ADC also expressed concern that an inflated membership database achieved through coercion would not translate into genuine political support. The party called on authorities, including the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), civil society groups, labour unions, and international stakeholders, to scrutinise what it described as potential abuses of power and violations of data privacy and human rights.
