Vice President Kashim Shettima has taken a swipe at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over alleged irregularities in the party’s online membership registration, claiming the platform has been inundated with fake identities.
He also criticised the opposition party’s persistent call for real-time electronic transmission of election results, arguing that the flaws observed in its digital registration process raise questions about its advocacy for technological reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system.
Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking at an interfaith breaking of fast hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and attended by several federal ministers and political stakeholders.
The criticism followed the launch of an online membership registration exercise by the African Democratic Congress on March 1 as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The party introduced the digital platform to allow new members to register while directing existing members to update and revalidate their records.
The move, according to the party, was in line with the amended provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the process quickly drew scrutiny after reports emerged of irregular entries on the portal, including questionable names, incorrect National Identification Numbers and mismatched photographs.
Concerns over the credibility of the system intensified after several social media users posted screenshots showing unusual or clearly fictitious details appearing in the database.
In response to the controversy, the party acknowledged the presence of anomalies and said it had taken steps to address the issues.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the ADC said technical adjustments had been made to correct the errors detected on the platform and strengthen its verification processes.
Despite the clarification, Shettima maintained that the development raised questions about the party’s credibility on electoral reforms.
“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,” the vice president said.
He also accused opposition parties of spreading misinformation about the policies and programmes of the current administration.
Quoting British wartime leader Winston Churchill, Shettima said the opposition relied heavily on falsehoods to attack the government.
“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.
The vice president further urged political officeholders and supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to actively defend the administration’s policies and achievements as the political climate begins to shift ahead of the next election cycle.
“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 added.
Shettima also argued that the ruling party now enjoys a stronger political position compared to the period leading up to the 2023 general elections.
“Politically speaking, we are in a more comfortable position now than in 2023,” he said.
He dismissed claims that governors from opposition-controlled states were being pressured to defect to the ruling party, insisting that any political realignments were voluntary.
“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,” Shettima said.
The remarks come amid growing political activities across parties as early preparations for the 2027 general elections gradually begin to take shape across the country.
