ADC Alleges APC Election Plot, Warns Against Voter Intimidation in Enugu

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State has issued a strong warning to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of initiating plots to rig the 2027 general elections through the alleged collection of sensitive citizen data and the intimidation of civil servants.

The opposition party’s statement on Tuesday followed reports from rural communities, including Oji River LGA, where elderly residents were allegedly asked to submit their National Identity Numbers (NIN), Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), and voter cards for an ongoing APC e-registration drive.

The ADC questioned the motive behind gathering such comprehensive personal data, suggesting it could facilitate vote-buying or other electoral manipulations. “Why is the ruling party collecting the NIN, BVN, and voter cards of rural women if not to rig the election?” the party’s media team stated.

Separately, the ADC cited reports that local government chairmen are coercing civil servants and teachers to join the APC under threat of losing their jobs. The party condemned this as a violation of constitutional rights.

“Coercing civil servants to join a particular party is a brazen infringement on their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association,” the ADC asserted, referencing Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution. It emphasized that while civil servants have the right to join political parties, they cannot be forced to support a specific one.

The ADC framed these actions as desperate measures by a party it claims has been “rejected by the people due to non-performance.” It called for an immediate investigation to safeguard electoral integrity and urged state and local authorities to allow workers and citizens to exercise their political freedoms without coercion.

The party warned that if unchecked, these alleged practices could seriously undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections in Enugu State.