The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his movement around polling units in Abuja during ongoing elections, describing it as inappropriate and capable of undermining public confidence in the process.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the party alleged that Wike’s presence at various voting centres under the guise of “monitoring” amounted to direct interference in the electoral exercise.
The ADC argued that the minister, who is not a registered voter in the Federal Capital Territory, has no constitutional role in the conduct or supervision of elections. It maintained that election monitoring is the exclusive responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and accredited observers.
According to the party, Wike’s actions, coming after what it described as a unilateral curfew that allegedly restricted voter movement, raise concerns about possible voter intimidation and undue influence on electoral officials.
“As a known partisan figure and serving cabinet minister, his presence during active voting is vexatious and meddlesome,” the ADC stated, warning that such conduct could erode trust in the transparency and neutrality of the process.
The party called on relevant authorities to ensure that all actors respect the independence of INEC and allow voters to exercise their civic rights without fear or pressure.
There was no immediate response from the FCT Minister’s office regarding the allegations at the time of filing this report.
The development adds to heightened political tensions surrounding the FCT elections, as parties continue to trade accusations over compliance with electoral guidelines and the protection of democratic norms.
ADC Slams Wike Over Alleged Polling Unit “Monitoring” in FCT
