The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has raised concerns over what it described as widespread pressure on civil servants and government workers to enrol in the All Progressives Congress, APC, ongoing electronic registration exercise.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Sunday, February 1, the party said it had received disturbing reports from several states suggesting that public servants were being compelled to register for the ruling party under threat of job insecurity and stalled career progression.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) expresses deep concern over disturbing reports emerging from several states across the country indicating that civil servants and government workers are being coerced, under pressure from the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to register for the ruling party’s ongoing e-registration exercise,” the statement said.
According to the ADC, the reports point to a coordinated effort that undermines democratic freedoms and violates constitutional rights.
“These reports, which are consistent and widespread, 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. This is unacceptable in a democratic society,” the party stated.
The ADC stressed that forcing citizens to belong to a political party amounts to a breach of fundamental human rights guaranteed by Nigeria’s constitution.
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“It is important to reiterate that compelling any Nigerian to join a political party is a gross violation of their fundamental human rights, as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read.
The party warned that what is being described as e-registration risks becoming “economic coercion and forced membership,” arguing that genuine political support cannot be built through intimidation.
“A political party that truly enjoys popular support does not need to conscript its citizens through fear, intimidation, or the weaponization of the payroll,” the ADC said.
The party also cautioned that politicising the civil service threatens its neutrality and professionalism, noting that “turning civil servants into partisan hostages undermines institutional integrity and erodes public trust in governance.”
While questioning the value of a database allegedly built through coercion, the ADC said, “A digital register does not translate to genuine political support. Databases do not vote; citizens do.”
The party called on the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, labour unions, civil society organisations, and the international community to pay close attention to what it described as a potential abuse of power and violation of data privacy and human rights.