APC Group Alleges NIN Misuse to Falsify Membership Figures in Kwara
A pressure group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has alleged that party operatives in Ilorin forcefully collected and misused the National Identity Numbers (NIN) of pensioners and students to fraudulently inflate membership figures.
The group, led by its coordinator, Abdulganiyu Omowaye, made the allegation in a statement issued Saturday in Abuja, warning that the practice poses serious legal, ethical and political consequences for both the party and affected individuals.
Omowaye claimed that party officials exploited the databases of civil servants and vulnerable groups, collecting their NINs under the guise of empowerment programmes and subsequently using the data for APC membership registration without consent.
He alleged that the move was aimed at manipulating party records to create a false impression of widespread grassroots support and mislead the party’s national leadership.
“At my registration centre, some members came with their NINs only to be told their details had already been used. When we investigated, we discovered their data had been used earlier without their consent. This is a criminal offence that must be punished,” he said.
The coordinator further alleged that some party elements used the personal data of elderly beneficiaries of the Owo Arugbo social welfare scheme to register them as members, while students were allegedly offered money to participate in what he described as a sham exercise.
According to him, certain individuals within the APC structure in Kwara Central obtained the NINs of pensioners and students and registered them as party members without their knowledge, describing the act as a direct violation of citizens’ rights.
He warned that the illegal collection and political use of NINs could expose victims to identity theft, financial fraud and other security risks.
Beyond the personal risks, Omowaye said the alleged manipulation threatens the credibility of the APC as a democratic institution, urging the leadership to order a thorough investigation and sanction those involved.
The group also alleged that the scheme was designed to artificially boost membership figures in Kwara Central ahead of forthcoming congresses and primaries, positioning certain governorship aspirants for undue advantage.
It called on the party’s national leadership to reject the figures submitted from the zone and suspend the ongoing registration exercise pending proper monitoring and verification.
