The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has dismissed claims by opposition parties that the party’s newly launched digital membership registration platform is designed to rig future elections, describing the allegations as “utterly irresponsible” and baseless.
In an interview with ARISE News on Tuesday, Morka said the opposition’s criticism reflected idleness and a misunderstanding of routine party activities, stressing that the exercise has nothing to do with elections still years away.
“That is just utterly irresponsible for anyone in a position to suggest that a normal, legitimate activity of a political party has anything to do with an election that is still well over a year, if not nearly two years, away,” Morka said.
“These guys are idle. They really don’t have anything to do.”
Morka said the APC’s electronic registration drive was part of a deliberate effort to modernise party administration and strengthen internal organisation, noting that membership mobilisation is a core democratic function of political parties.
“Party membership mobilisation is a normal, legitimate activity. That’s what we’re doing,” he said.
“We are very happy to be the first political party in this country to digitalise our membership and create a digital membership base that allows us to plan more effectively.”
He explained that the digital database would enable the party to use real-time information to guide planning, strategy, and policy discussions, while also improving the experience of party members.
“The database we have created is really interactive. Once you register, you are able to get on the platform and interact with it,” Morka said.
“If you move from your current residence, or change your phone number, you can go back into the system and update your details.”
Responding to concerns about data security, multiple registrations, and possible manipulation, Morka said the APC consulted widely with top technology experts before deploying what he described as cutting-edge systems.
“We consulted very widely with some of the world’s best tech experts in arriving at the software and platform we’re using,” he said.
“From the first contact with the system, it is meant to be seamless, and so far, it has been seamless.”
He added that the platform includes offline registration capabilities for remote areas, allowing data to be captured without connectivity and synchronised once network access becomes available.
“We have onboarded devices and software that allow us to register people in real time, even when there is no connectivity, and sync the information once the devices reconnect,” he said.
While acknowledging that no technology is entirely foolproof, Morka said the party had taken extensive measures to guard against breaches.
“No technological system is ever entirely foolproof,” he said.
“But we have gone to great lengths to deploy some of the finest technologies available, with firewalls and protections that make external access extremely difficult.”
On data usage, Morka emphasised that the platform is exclusively controlled by the APC and will not be shared or used for purposes outside party administration.
“Our membership platform is exclusive to our party. It is entirely under the control of the APC,” he said.
“We are not sharing it or giving access for any purpose other than managing our membership base and informing planning and policy discussions. End of story.”
Morka disclosed that within the first week of the exercise, the party recorded about two million registrations, attributing the early success to long-term planning and extensive internal consultations.
“This registration didn’t just start this week. It has been long in the planning,” he said.
“Several committees were set up, consultants made multiple presentations, and the highest levels of party leadership were fully briefed at every step.”
Addressing transparency concerns, Morka said the digital register allows the party to generate real-time figures and demographic data at the click of a button and could be independently verified if necessary.
“At any point in time, we can tell you how many people are on the database, how many women there are, and the demographics,” he said.
“If we feel the need for independent verification, we can do that because these are live, verifiable numbers.”
He added that the registration process remains open-ended, allowing new members to join and update their details beyond the initial registration window.
“Even after the deadline, people will still be able to register. It is an ongoing process,” Morka said.
Boluwatife Enome
Follow us on:
