The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed as “entirely false and baseless” allegations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that civil servants are being pressured to register as members of the ruling party during its ongoing electronic membership registration exercise.

In a strongly worded press statement issued today, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, CON, described the ADC’s accusation as part of a deliberate disinformation campaign aimed at undermining the APC’s innovative digital registration process.

Morka accused the ADC of being “terrified” and “intimidated” by the massive, voluntary turnout of Nigerians joining the APC, inspired by the successes of the Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Tinubu.

He pointed out that the overwhelming response from millions of citizens had forced the party to extend the registration window from January 31 to February 8, 2026, following popular demand.

“The ADC’s nonsensical allegation seeks to cast a shadow over the cutting-edge and pathbreaking digitization of our Party’s membership register,” Morka stated. “This is part of their disinformation campaign, which earlier included the fabrication and circulation of a fake ‘APC membership slip’ purporting that a notorious terrorist had registered as a member of APC.”

The APC spokesperson emphasized that registrations are entirely voluntary and enthusiastic, reflecting widespread public support for the party’s policies and leadership.

“While the ADC continues to fumble and peddle falsehood, our great Party remains focused on its onward march as Africa’s standard-bearer of digital and democratic innovation,” Morka concluded.

The statement comes amid heightened political tensions as parties gear up for future electoral contests, with the APC touting its growing membership as evidence of strong grassroots momentum.

In a significant development resolving the prolonged leadership crisis in the Labour Party (LP), a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the caretaker committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman as the legitimate authority representing the party.

The ruling, delivered on January 21, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, declared that the tenure of Julius Abure as National Chairman had expired, in line with a prior Supreme Court judgment from April 2025.

The court affirmed the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee as the only valid body to act for and on behalf of the Labour Party, pending the conduct of a national convention.

The decision stems from ongoing factional disputes within the opposition party, which intensified after the 2023 general elections. Senator Usman was appointed as interim National Chairman in September 2024 to oversee the party’s affairs amid the turmoil.

Following the judgment, Senator Nenadi Usman stated that INEC’s implementation of the court order would ensure only one Labour Party appears on the ballot in future elections, particularly ahead of the 2027 general polls. “With the recognition by INEC, it means only one party, which is my party, would be on the ballot,” Usman said in an interview.

“There is no ambiguity about who the leader is, and only we can write to INEC to attend our primary elections or congresses.

“The ruling has been described by supporters of the Usman faction as a victory for democracy, the rule of law, and party stability. It directs INEC to treat all correspondence from Usman as valid and official, effectively sidelining the rival Abure faction.

The Abure-led group has reportedly indicated intentions to appeal the decision, maintaining their claim to the party’s leadership. However, the court dismissed arguments that the matter was purely an internal party affair.

This development is expected to streamline the Labour Party’s preparations for upcoming primaries, congresses, and the 2027 elections, potentially strengthening its position as a key opposition force. INEC is yet to issue a public statement confirming full compliance with the court directive, but stakeholders anticipate swift action to avoid further electoral complications.

Photo: APC NWC meeting

At its 183rd meeting, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), held on Friday, 30th January 2026, at the Party’s National Secretariat, Abuja, adopted the following resolutions:

1. The electronic membership registration exercise has been extended from 31st January 2026 to 8th February 2026, following requests from Party stakeholders.

This extension is to enable more supporters and members to register and validate their membership.

2. Ward Congresses will hold on Wednesday, 18th February 2026, while the National Convention is now scheduled to be held on 27th–28th March 2026.

Osun State , Ekiti State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are excluded from scheduled Congresses due to upcoming elections, while Rivers State is excluded due to the subsisting tenure the current executive committees of the Party in the State. 

3. The National Convention Planning Committee was duly constituted.

Further details on the adjusted Congress and National Convention timetable and schedule of activities, and composition of the National Convention Planning Committee will be announced in due course.