Vice President Kashim Shettima has ridiculed the African Democratic Congress over its online membership registration process, saying it has been flooded with fake identities.
He also took a swipe at the opposition party for its long-standing insistence on real-time electronic transmission of election results.
According to media reports, the ADC on March 1 launched nationwide online membership registration ahead of the 2027 general election, in line with the amended Electoral Act.
The party also directed its current members to update and revalidate their personal information in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
However, the registration process has been plagued by several irregular entries, including fake names, National Identification Numbers and mismatched photographs, raising concerns over the credibility of the exercise.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the party said it had fixed the anomalies discovered on its digital membership registration portal following widespread reports of false entries.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interfaith breaking of fast attended by federal ministers and hosted by President Bola Tinubu, Shettima alleged that the party’s registration portal had been flooded with fictitious details.
“The same Alliance for Democratic Confusion that was adamant that we must have electronic transmission of votes opened their portal for membership registration, and it was overwhelmed by an avalanche of fake names and fictitious identities,” he said.
The vice president accused opposition figures of spreading misinformation and promoting false narratives about the policies of the Tinubu administration.
“You and I know that, as Winston Churchill once said, ‘truth is so precious that it must be surrounded by a bodyguard of lies’. Lies, lies, lies — that is what is driving the opposition in this country,” he said.
Shettima also urged political officeholders to actively defend the policies and accomplishments of the current administration as the next election season approaches.
“Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the political season is around the corner. We are all political actors. We have to sell our government. We have to stand behind our administration,” he said.
The former Governor of Borno State added that the ruling party currently enjoys a stronger political position than it did during the 2023 general election.
“Politically speaking, we are in a more comfortable position now than in 2023,” he said.
Shettima also rejected claims that state governors were being forced or pressured to defect to the ruling party.
“Nobody is coercing the governors of Rivers, Delta, Kano or any other state to join the APC. It is of their own volition because they have seen the light,” he added.
