- He suggested that the party owes Nigerians clarity over the conflicting figures previously released
- Sambo recalled that in March 2022, the party officially announced that it had registered about 41 million members nationwide
- Despite his concerns, Sambo welcomed the APC’s adoption of technology in its ongoing membership registration drive
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing renewed public debate following reports that its current registered membership stands at about 10 million, a figure that differs sharply from earlier claims made by the party.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the disclosure has drawn attention because, ahead of the 2023 general elections, the ruling party had projected itself as having a much larger membership base across the country.
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The issue was highlighted by Sumner Sambo, Editor for Politics at Arise News, during a discussion on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, where he questioned the consistency of the APC’s figures.
Sambo recalled that in March 2022, the party officially announced that it had registered about 41 million members nationwide, a number that was widely publicised at the time as evidence of its electoral strength.
According to him, the sudden drop from 41 million to about 10 million raises doubts about the reliability of the party’s earlier claims and its internal record-keeping.
He further linked the controversy to the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, noting that President Bola Tinubu secured roughly 8.7 million votes, a result that appeared inconsistent with a party that had earlier claimed tens of millions of registered members.
Sambo argued that the gap between the claimed membership figures and actual votes cast fuels questions about the credibility of the APC’s data and projections.
While critical of the discrepancy, he noted that the party’s current national leadership appears to be taking a more cautious approach, with a new registration target reportedly set at 20 million members.
He suggested that the party owes Nigerians clarity over the conflicting figures previously released, adding that the latest numbers suggest the earlier claims may have been exaggerated.
Despite his concerns, Sambo welcomed the APC’s adoption of technology in its ongoing membership registration drive, describing it as a step in the right direction that could enhance transparency and accountability if effectively managed.
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