By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
A dispute over errors in the All People’s Congress (APC) membership database has raised serious questions over the party’s responsibility to verify information before using it for internal elections.
The controversy follows an interview with Abu Bakarr Kargbo, who identified himself as an APC National Secretariat official. Kargbo said some inaccuracies in the database originated from information submitted by members during registration, arguing that the Secretariat only processes what members submit and does not have authority to alter entries.
He likened the process to passport applications where applicants supply personal details for processing. During the interview, he referenced a database of about 200,000 records, a figure that could not be independently verified.
His explanation has sparked debate over the Secretariat’s verification role before publication of electoral lists. Critics argue that once a register is published for elections, the burden of accuracy cannot rest solely on members.
The issue is critical because the APC 2022 Constitution mandates the party to maintain a membership register in both physical and electronic forms, and provides for applications to be considered by the National Secretary-General, district executives or relevant branches.
The party has since deployed its Membership Engagement and Management System (MEMS), which its official platform describes as handling digital registration, membership records and election-data management.
Verification concerns have intensified during the APC’s recent internal elections. In July, the National Secretariat republished its register of eligible voters and asked members to report concerns, omissions or discrepancies ahead of constituency elections.
The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) later directed the APC to publish comprehensive lists of constituency candidates and make them more accessible, including through physical copies at district offices.
The dispute therefore points to two key stages: the accuracy of information supplied at registration, and the checks conducted by the party before relying on it for internal polls.
The interview alone does not establish which structure is responsible for any disputed entry. That would require access to registration records, verification procedures and the specific membership data.
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