By Abiola Olawale
Vice President Kashim Shettima has delivered a stinging critique of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), mocking the opposition party’s vocal demands for electronic election results transmission while failing to manage its own internal digital infrastructure.
Shettima pointed to the irony of the ADC’s persistent advocacy for high-tech electoral reforms at the national level while the party struggles to conduct a seamless digital membership registration for its own followers.
Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at an interfaith breaking of the fast for Ramadan and Lent held at the State House, Shettima alleged that when the party opened its portal for membership registration, it was “overwhelmed by an avalanche of fake names and fictitious identities.”
“The same people who were adamant that we must have electronic transmission of votes opened their portal for membership registration, and it was flooded with fake names and fictitious identities,” the Vice President said.
Taking a broader swipe at opposition politics in the country, Shettima declared that misinformation has become their driving force.
“You and I know that, as Winston Churchill once said, ‘truth is so precious that it must be surrounded by a bodyguard of lies.’ Lies, lies, lies that is what is driving the opposition in this country,” he stated.
Addressing the gathering of political and religious leaders, Shettima urged party faithful to remain united as the political season approaches.
“Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the political season is around the corner. We are all political actors. We have to sell our government. We have to stand behind our administration,” he said.
He further maintained that the APC is now more politically comfortable than it was during the 2023 general elections.
“Politically speaking, we are in a more comfortable position now than in 2023,” he said.
On the recent wave of defections into the ruling party, Shettima insisted that governors joining the APC were doing so voluntarily.
“Nobody is coercing the governors of Rivers, Delta, Kano, or any other state to join the APC. It is at their own volition because they have seen the light,” he added.
