THE Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims that notorious bandit leader Bello Turji is a registered member of the party, describing a viral APC membership card bearing his name and photograph as a crude forgery designed to damage the party’s image.
The party said it uncovered a fake APC membership card allegedly issued to Turji during its ongoing electronic registration exercise, insisting that the document was fabricated by mischievous elements opposed to the success of the exercise in the state.
The disclosure was made on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Zamfara APC Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris, and made available to News Point Nigeria.
According to Idris, the fake card, which has been circulating on social media platforms, falsely suggests that the notorious bandit kingpin is affiliated with the ruling party.
He said the forgery was a deliberate attempt to smear the APC at a time when the party’s e-registration process has been progressing smoothly across the state.
“This was carried out by mischievous elements who are unhappy with the smooth, successful and coordinated manner in which the ongoing APC e-registration of members is taking place in Zamfara State,” Idris said.
The APC spokesman noted that the alleged forgery was poorly executed and could easily be detected even by a casual observer.
He pointed out several glaring inconsistencies on the card, including what he described as an illogical date format boldly displaying the number “26,” purportedly referring to January 26.
“Even to the man on the street, the forgery is easily detectable from the card itself. The photograph used is a widely circulated image of Bello Turji that is well known to Nigerians and security agencies,” he added.
Idris further explained that it would have been impossible for Turji to be registered as an APC member because participation in the party’s e-registration process requires a valid National Identification Number (NIN), which the bandit leader does not possess.
“No person can be duly registered without a National Identification Number, which Bello Turji does not have. This alone renders the entire claim laughable and exposes the ignorance of the forgers,” he said.
He also dismissed the possibility that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) could have captured someone under the conditions shown in the forged document.
“Before anyone is enrolled by NIMC, the individual must complete a detailed form and undergo biometric capture. How then could NIMC capture someone wearing a military uniform and carrying a gun on his shoulders? Such features are completely unacceptable and illegal,” Idris stated.
The party further faulted the forged membership number on the card, noting that APC membership codes are state-specific.
According to Idris, records from the ongoing registration exercise in Kware Ward of Zamfara State show that no membership identification number begins with the code “26,” which is designated for Niger State, not Zamfara.
“Zamfara APC membership cards begin with the code ‘36,’ not ‘26.’ From our records, there is no ID number with the initial code ‘26’ in today’s registration in Kware Ward,” he said.
The APC spokesman disclosed that preliminary investigations had traced the origin of the forged card to Babangida Aliyu Shinkafi, also known as Waziri, an associate of Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi.
He said Sani Shinkafi was recently suspended from participating in the party’s e-registration exercise due to alleged questionable activities.
“The forgery is linked to him because the fake membership card first appeared on his Facebook page,” Idris alleged.
He stressed that the Zamfara APC e-registration coordination team and the state party leadership have completely disassociated themselves from the fake card bearing the registration number ID APC 261113000102.
Calling on members of the public to disregard the document, Idris said the matter has already been reported to security agencies for investigation.
“We urge well-meaning citizens to ignore the fake membership card. The issue has been reported to the appropriate security agencies, and we are confident that the perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
The APC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and credibility in its membership registration process, insisting that the party would not allow criminal elements or political saboteurs to undermine its integrity in Zamfara State.