The Independent National Electoral Commission has disowned membership figures of political parties released by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, saying the data did not emanate from the commission.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, made the clarification on Tuesday while reacting to figures attributed to Yilwatda during an interview on ARISE News.
“Dear esteemed media colleagues, please note that this is certainly not from INEC. Thanks,” Oketola said in a message sent to journalists.
Yilwatda had claimed during the interview that the APC had 12.9 million registered members, far ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, Labour Party and National Democratic Coalition.
According to him, the PDP had 2.4 million registered members, the ADC 1.6 million, the LP 1.3 million and the NDC 700,000 members.
The APC chairman said, “Let me give you data. Let me break data for you. APC submitted 12.9 million registered voters. PDP submitted 2.4 million registered voters. The ADC submitted 1.6 million registered voters. Labour Party submitted 1.3 million registered voters and NDC submitted 700,000 registered members.”
He further argued that the combined membership strength of the opposition parties mentioned did not match that of the APC.
“If you put all these political parties together, they don’t add up to APC’s registered members. All the political parties, this number I’ve counted, they’re not up to the number that APC registered,” he said.
Yilwatda also claimed that the APC’s membership database was more credible because, according to him, it had been verified through the National Identity Management Commission.
He said the ruling party synchronised its membership data with NIMC, insisting that the APC was the only political party with such verified data.
“All our data of our members are verified by NIMC. We synchronised data with NIMC. So for you to be a member of APC, just like how you register in banks, for passport, for driver’s licence, the same thing is how you register with APC,” he stated.
The APC chairman also defended the party’s recent presidential primary, where President Bola Tinubu was said to have secured about 10.9 million votes.
He argued that since the APC had about 12.9 million registered members, the turnout was reasonable, saying only about two million members did not participate in the exercise.
“We had about 12.9 million and about 10.9 million voted, which means about two million people did not vote across the country,” he said.
Yilwatda maintained that the APC remained the most organised political party in the country, adding that its membership register and internal processes showed that the party was prepared for future elections.
However, INEC’s denial has raised questions over the source of the figures cited by the APC chairman, especially as the data was widely circulated on social media and attributed by many users to the electoral commission.
The development has also triggered concerns among observers over whether political party membership data submitted to INEC is being accessed or interpreted outside official channels.
INEC’s clarification means the commission has not officially confirmed the membership figures quoted by Yilwatda, despite his claim that the parties submitted the data to the electoral body.
As an added bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE ebook titled: “AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion: A Research Guide.”
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
______________________________________________________________________
“Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
The book, titled The Law of Torts in Nigeria: A Functional Approach, authored by Professor Hagler Sunny Okorie Ph.D and Ikeocha, Nathaniel Ngozi Esq, offers law students, practitioners, and academics a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying tort law in Nigerian courts. Interested buyers can place orders via the following contact numbers: 08028636615, 08037667945, 08032253813, or +234 902 196 2209.
_______________________________________________________________________
“Order Your Copy Now” — Basil Momodu, Esq. Unveils Second Edition Of His Book, "Civil Procedure In Nigeria"
According to the learned author, Basil Momodu Esq. "Law review is a continuum. We will continue to track changes in the law to enrich future editions." Recommended Booksellers: Lagos: 08033855230, Abuja: 08035991379, and others.
