The free nationwide online membership registration launched by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has come under scrutiny following reports of fake names, National Identification Numbers (NINs) and incorrect photographs being used to generate membership cards.
The party had on Sunday unveiled a new digital portal as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC directed existing members to update and revalidate their details in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 and guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Barely 24 hours after the portal went live, social media users began sharing screenshots of membership cards generated with fictitious details. Some posts displayed cards bearing the names of prominent figures, including President Bola Tinubu, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, United States President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, among others.
An X user claimed to have registered a pet as a member, sharing a generated membership card as proof. Another user alleged that fictitious names, NINs and phone numbers could be entered without verification, warning that such loopholes could expose the party’s internal processes to manipulation, particularly during presidential primaries.
Reacting to the criticism, former Lagos State governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, dismissed the mockery, describing it as a distraction from what he called a growing wave of genuine registrations. He noted that the online process represents only the first stage, adding that final validation would occur at the ward level.
When contacted, Abdullahi acknowledged the concerns and stated that the party had introduced corrective measures, including requiring live photographs during registration. He also shared examples of similar incidents that allegedly occurred during the membership registration exercise of the All Progressives Congress.
However, attempts to test the updated system reportedly revealed that the live photo feature could still be manipulated by covering faces or presenting objects to the camera. Responding to this, Abdullahi said the feedback would be forwarded to the party’s technical team for further review.
The development has sparked debate online about the integrity of digital political party registration systems and the need for stronger verification mechanisms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Margaret ABAH
