The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised an alarm over a fake party membership card in circulation, allegedly belonging to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, describing it as a deliberate attempt to tarnish the party’s image.
The party’s spokesman in Zamfara, Yusuf Idris, disclosed this on Monday in a statement made available to newsmen.
Idris said the forged APC membership card bore Turji’s name and photograph, creating the false impression that the bandit kingpin is a registered party member.
“This was carried out by mischievous elements unhappy with the smooth and coordinated manner in which the ongoing e-registration of members is taking place in the state,” Idris said.
He added that the forgery was easily detectable. “Even the man on the street can see the discrepancies, including the bold ‘26’ on the date, purportedly referring to January 26. The photograph of the hardened criminal is widely recognized by security agencies and Nigerians alike,” he said.
Idris explained that Turji could not possibly be registered, as no person can be enrolled without a National Identification Number (NIN), which he does not have. “This exposes the ignorance of the mischief-makers and renders their efforts futile, as APC programmes are largely flawless,” he said.
He further pointed out that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) requires individuals to complete a registration form with full personal details before being captured. “How then could NIMC capture someone wearing a military uniform and carrying a gun on his shoulders? Such features are unacceptable,” Idris added.
Records from the ongoing registration exercise in Kware Ward also showed no identification number beginning with the code ‘26’, which belongs to Niger State, not Zamfara. “From our records today, there is no ID number starting with ‘26’ in Zamfara, yet the forged card falsely used this code,” he said.
According to Idris, preliminary investigations have linked the forged card to Babangida Aliyu Shinkafi (Waziri), an associate of Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who was recently suspended from the e-registration exercise for alleged dubious activities. “The forgery is linked to him because it first appeared on his Facebook page,” Idris noted.
He stressed that the APC e-registration coordination team in Zamfara, and the state chapter of the party, completely disassociates itself from the fake card bearing registration number ID APC 261113000102.
Idris reiterated that Zamfara State membership cards begin with the code ‘36’, not ‘26’. “This clearly shows the ignorance of the perpetrators,” he said.
He urged citizens to disregard the fake card, adding that the matter had been reported to security agencies. “We are confident that the perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
NAN
