TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the nationwide membership registration exercise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is “a scam”.

In December, APC postponed its nationwide registration, revalidation and update exercise for several reasons, including “the fast-approaching Christmas and end-of-year celebrations”.

But ahead of the registration, a stakeholders meeting of the Kwara state chapter was disrupted by violence.

In a statement on Thursday, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, said the membership registration and revalidation exercise is laced with “fraud”.

He accused the APC of working towards fictitious data to amass more votes for itself ahead of the 2023 general election.

“Nigerians are already aware that the purpose of the APC membership revalidation exercise is to produce inflated membership figures to assist the APC to allocated fictitious votes for itself in the 2023 elections; a scheme that is dead on arrival,” the statement reads.

“Moreover, no Nigerian would want to join a party of fraudsters, manipulators, political bandits and liars, which has ruined our country and expended its goodwill on the altar of violence, deception and insensitivity to the needs of the people.

“The world watched the show of shame as APC members clashed in bloody brawl, assailing and inflicting injuries on one another with dangerous objects and destroying public property over control of list of fictitious members.

“The PDP has only but pity for delusional APC leaders who are yet to come to terms with the fact that the APC as a party is already dead and that Nigerians cannot be swayed by a fake membership revalidation and a conjured membership figure.”

The opposition party also cited the comments of Bisi Akande, a former interim national chairman of APC, who criticised the party’s membership renewal exercise.

It said Akande’s remarks has “further confirmed revelations that the so-called APC membership revalidation and registration is a huge scam designed to allot fictitious figures and inflate the APC membership register”.

“Our party, therefore, commends Chief Akande for his courage in speaking out on the shenanigans in the APC, including the antics of the national caretaker committee,” Ologbondiyan said.

“Chief Akande’s declaration on the waste of resources in the scandalous exercise shows APC’s insensitivity to the plight of sufferings Nigerians.

“This is more so as there are allegations that the APC is financing the revalidation exercise with funds meant for provision of very important COVID-19 essentials to Nigerians.

“The PDP, however, counsels Chief Akande and a few well-meaning Nigerians still trapped in the APC, not to continue to waste their energy and goodwill on a dead and rejected party.

“Our party, therefore, urges Nigerians to continue to disregard the APC and remain steadfast in rallying on the PDP’s platform in the collective effort to rescue our nation from the misrule of the APC.”

According to the registration timetable released by the APC, the first phase of the exercise will be held between February 2 and 16.