ABUJA, FCT – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, accusing him of “direct interference” and “intimidation” during Saturday’s Area Council elections.
In a scathing “defeat address,” the party alleged that the Minister’s decision to personally inspect polling units was a calculated move to suppress opposition. The ADC noted that while there are over 1,400 units across the territory, the Minister reportedly visited only a handful, creating an atmosphere of unease.
ADC Alleges Voter Intimidation
The ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, labelled Wike’s presence at active voting locations as “vexatious and meddlesome.” The party argued that as a non-registered voter in the FCT and a known partisan figure, Wike had no constitutional role in supervising the polls.
“We lost the FCT election today because the Minister went round a few polling units to inspect the process instead of staying away,” a party representative stated via Facebook, linking the Minister’s movements to reports of voter suppression and the intimidation of opposition agents.
Wike Defends Monitoring, Fires Back at Kingibe
Responding to the backlash, Minister Wike dismissed the allegations, maintaining that his tour was a legitimate exercise to assess security and preparedness. He noted that while turnout was low in the city centre, it remained “impressive” in satellite towns.
Wike also traded words with FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe, who had earlier condemned the election-eve movement restrictions as “authoritarian.”
“I thought as a Senator, she should be able to read,” Wike countered. “I never imposed a curfew; I restricted movement with the approval of Mr. President.” He further suggested the final results would serve as the ultimate proof of political influence, stating, “At the end of the election… then we will know who is who.”
Election Outcomes and IReV Status
As of Sunday morning, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has secured significant victories in the Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kuje, and Abaji area councils. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) clinched victory in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
Despite the declared results, the ADC and other observers have flagged disruptions to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Stakeholders are now calling for an urgent explanation from the electoral commission regarding the portal’s inaccessibility during the critical collation period.
