EXPOSED‼️:: Enugu Government accused of Using fraudulent coercion, threat of job loss and intimidation to force state civil servants into APC E- REGISTRATION to Artificially inflate party membership.

A youth coalition in Enugu State has accused the state government of violating constitutional rights by allegedly forcing civil servants to register with the ruling party.

ENUGU, Nigeria – The Concerned Enugu State Youths (CESY) has issued a strong condemnation against what it describes as a systematic campaign by the Enugu State Government to coerce civil servants into compulsory membership with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a press statement signed by its President, Comrade Kingsley Ejiofor Ekeuramah, the group alleges that a directive has been issued to heads of government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to enforce mandatory APC e-registration among staff, with implicit threats of job loss, intimidation, and victimisation for non-compliance.

The controversy stems from the recently flagged-off APC e-registration exercise in the state. According to CESY, credible reports indicate that senior officials and commissioners have been instructed to ensure compliance within their offices, creating an atmosphere of fear within the civil service.

“Social media platforms have been flooded with screenshots and evidence of APC e-registration allegedly shared by Enugu workers, not as an expression of political belief, but as a subtle means of self-protection,” the statement read.

The group argues that this alleged practice represents a severe breakdown of the political neutrality and professionalism required of the civil service, transforming public institutions into tools for partisan enforcement.

CESY’s statement grounds its opposition firmly in Nigeria’s constitutional framework, citing multiple violations:

· Section 40: Guarantees the right to freedom of association, including the right to refuse to join any political party.

· Section 39: Upholds the freedom of expression and the right to hold opinions without interference.

· Section 42: Prohibits discrimination on grounds of political affiliation.

· Section 17(3)(a): Mandates that the state shall ensure equal opportunity for employment without coercion.

“Any attempt to compel civil servants to register with a political party directly violates these constitutional provisions,” the youth group asserted. “Weaponising public employment for partisan advantage is an abuse of executive authority and a dangerous erosion of democratic norms.”

Labeling the alleged move as a tactic to “weaken opposition parties and manipulate the political landscape,” CESY has issued several calls to action:

1. To the Enugu State Government: Immediately halt any intimidation of civil servants and publicly reaffirm commitment to the political neutrality of the civil service.

2. To Labour and Civil Society: Urging unions like the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and human rights organizations to invoke constitutional safeguards to protect workers from coercion.

3. To Enugu Youths: The group called for calm, unity, and vigilance, promising that their resistance would remain “peaceful, constitutional, and people-powered.”

“No government has the legal or moral right to force citizens to trade their freedom of conscience for economic survival,” the statement concluded. “We stand for an Enugu State where political participation is driven by conviction, not fear.”

As of the time of writing, the Enugu State Government has not publicly responded to these allegations. This story is developing.