The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has expressed fears that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) may have commenced the rigging of the 2027 general election in Enugu State.
The party spoke against the backdrop of reports that people in some rural communities in the state, including the elderly and aged citizens, were asked to submit their National Identity Numbers (NIN), Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and voter cards, for the ongoing APC e-registration.
One of the reports emanated from a voice note by a concerned indigene of Oji River LGA, questioning the motive behind the collection of NIN, BVN and voter cards from rural women for the APC e-registration.
Earlier, there were reports that local government chairmen in Enugu State were coercing civil servants, including teachers, to join the ruling APC or lose their jobs.
Consequently, in a press release on Sunday, Enugu ADC through its media team, called for a thorough investigation of all the reports to safeguard the integrity of the forthcoming general election in the state.
According to ADC, asking elderly and aged citizens in rural communities to submit their NIN, BVN and voters card for the ongoing APC e-registration, is an indication that the ruling party may have commenced the rigging of the 2027 election.
The opposition party stated that the ruling party realizing that it has been rejected by the people because of its non-performance at all levels of government, has now resorted to all kinds of tactics, including grand deception and forceful conscription of civil servants into its fold, in a desperate bid to remain in power by all means.
Enugu ADC, however, made it clear that the 1999 Constitution allows all Nigerians the rights to assemble freely and associate with others, including political parties of their choice and not by compulsion.
Quoting part of the press release: “Coercing civil servants to join a particular party is a brazen infringement on their constitutionally guaranteed rights, particularly the freedom of association.
“Section 40 of the Constitution allows every person, including public servants, to assemble freely and associate with others, including political parties. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that restrictions (such as the civil service rules) preventing civil servants from joining political parties, are unconstitutional.
“However, forcing the civil servants to join a particular political party, like we are hearing in Enugu State, where they have been told to either register with the APC or lose their jobs, is an infringement on the rights of the workers and an affront to the Nigerian Constitution.”
Enugu ADC warned that the shenanigans of the ruling party, if not checked, were capable of undermining the integrity of the entire electoral process in Enugu State in 2027.
It called on the state government to allow workers to freely exercise their constitutional right to align with any political party of their choice, in line with the freedom of association, which the Constitution guarantees.
