A federal lawmaker from the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly refuted claims that the party engages in electoral malpractice to win elections. Instead, he credited the APC's consistent victories to its superior strategy of grassroots mobilisation.
Mobilisation, Not Manipulation: APC's Stance on Elections
Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, who represents the Ekiti/Oke Ero/Irepodun/Osi federal constituency, made these assertions during the official launch of the APC membership e-registration exercise at Omu Aran Ward I over the weekend. The lawmaker categorically stated that the APC does not and has never rigged elections at any level in Nigeria.
"We are good at mobilising people into our party; we don't rig elections in APC," Olawuyi declared. He emphasised the point by repeating, "We don't rig elections in APC. We've never thought about rigging." He explained that his approach is purely based on preparation and voter outreach, saying he focuses on calculating potential votes per polling booth long before election day.
He added a pointed remark about opponents, suggesting that "by the time your opponents wake up to rig an election, they've already lost."
E-Registration Drive to Validate Party Strength
A significant part of the event focused on the newly launched APC e-registration programme. Hon. Olawuyi described it as a revalidation exercise meant to scientifically determine the party's actual membership strength. He revealed a discrepancy that prompted this move.
"In the 2023 presidential election, which we won, the votes didn't tally with about 42 million membership registration numbers of our party," he disclosed. He stated that President Bola Tinubu, as a "practical and scientific politician," wants an accurate count of members from the ward level upwards.
A key feature of the new system is its link to the National Identification Number (NIN). "Importantly, there won't be double registration, as each membership is tied to NIN. The system would discover such discrepancies," Olawuyi assured.
Local Leaders Rally Support for 2027
The event also featured remarks from other local APC chieftains who echoed the call for mass registration. The Speaker of the Irepodun Local Government Legislative Council, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Murtala Omoboye, urged party members to participate en masse.
He directly linked the exercise to future electoral success, stating, "That is what will translate into victory come the 2027 general election for the APC." Omoboye expressed strong confidence, adding, "We have a great and bright chance in the coming general elections... Definitely, we're going to win the election come the 2027 general elections."
In a personal note, Hon. Olawuyi, popularly known as 'Ajuloopin' (meaning seniority has no limitations), shared that he inherited the name from his father. He spoke about the responsibility of upholding the family's legacy of integrity in his political career, which he said has opened doors for him since his entry into politics.
