• As violence erupts ADC e-registration flag-off in Enugu
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has launched a scathing verbal attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC), mocking the opposition party’s inability to manage its internal digital membership registration despite its vocal advocacy for the electronic transmission of general election results.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interfaith breaking of fast (Iftar) hosted by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Shettima described the ADC’s recent technological struggles as a symptom of “democratic confusion.”
The Vice President’s remarks come on the heels of reports that the ADC’s newly launched online membership portal was compromised by thousands of fictitious entries and “fake” identities shortly after it went live on March 1, 2026.
“The same alliance for democratic confusion that was adamant that we should have electronic transmission of votes opened their portal for the registration of new members, and it was overwhelmed by an avalanche of fake names and fictitious identities,” Shettima told the gathering of federal ministers and stakeholders.
Quoting Winston Churchill, the Vice President added, “Truth is so precious that it has to be surrounded by a bodyguard of lies. Lies, lies, lies are what is driving the opposition in this country.”
Enugu Launch Ends in Chaos
While the Vice President poked fun at the party’s digital failures in Abuja, the ADC’s attempt to kickstart the physical component of the registration exercise in Enugu turned bloody on Thursday.
What was intended to be a flagship event at Admiral Suites in Independence Layout descended into a free-for-all as rival factions clashed over the control of the registration process. The violence broke out when a faction loyal to the state leadership under Stella Chukwuma challenged the authority of a national registration committee led by Chukwuemeka Okereke.
Witnesses described a scene of total disorder as aggrieved members chanted solidarity songs and physically blocked the podium. The situation escalated when Mr. Okereke was reportedly rough-handled and beaten by angry party members. Policemen eventually intervened, whisking the bruised official to safety as the hotel was placed under lock and key to prevent further destruction.
ADC chieftain David Williams later condemned the attackers as “miscreants” hired to hijack the party structure. However, former Senator Gilbert Nnaji sought to downplay the crisis, attributing the violence to a “misunderstanding” regarding whether registration materials should be handled by the national committee or the state executive.
The ‘Booby Trap’ Allegations
The ADC’s digital woes are unfolding against a backdrop of intense legal friction. The party is currently at loggerheads with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the Electoral Act 2026 and the revised 2027 election timetable.
ADC National Spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, recently warned that the new legal requirements—which mandate parties to submit a fully digitized membership register within a very tight window—are “booby traps” designed to benefit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“What the law expects us to do is that within the next 32 days or so, we must have a digitalized membership register in all 36 states,” Abdullahi stated. “The ruling APC commenced their registration in February 2025. What took them more than one year to do is what they expect us to do in one month. It is practically impossible.”
2027 Timetable Pressures
Under the revised 2027 schedule, the Presidential and National Assembly elections have been moved forward to January 16, 2027, to avoid a clash with the month of Ramadan. Party primaries are now mandated to take place between April and May 2026.
While the government maintains these changes are necessary for administrative and religious considerations, the ADC argues that the compressed timeline, combined with the technical demands of the new Electoral Act, is a deliberate attempt to stifle opposition participation.
Dismissing these claims of “hand-twisting” or political sabotage, Vice President Shettima insisted that the movement of politicians toward the APC is based on merit.
“Nobody has hand-twisted the governors of Rivers, Delta, or Akwa Ibom to join the APC,” Shettima said. “It is of their own volition because they have seen the light. We are in a more comfortable position now than in 2023.”
