The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for being present at polling units during Saturday’s area council elections in Abuja.
In a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said Wike is not registered to vote in the FCT and should not have been involved in the local elections.
The ADC also claimed it received reports that some voters were stopped or scared away from voting. The party alleged that agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) worked with some security officers to intimidate voters.
According to the ADC, Wike’s visit to polling units, which he described as “monitoring,” amounted to interference. The party said this came after he imposed a curfew that affected voters. It argued that as a cabinet minister and a known member of a political party, he has no official role in the council elections.
The party said his presence during voting could make voters and election officials feel pressured or afraid.
The ADC also raised concerns about problems with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV). It said the portal was not accessible while results were being counted, and asked INEC to fix it quickly and explain what caused the problem.
The party urged its members and supporters to stay calm but alert and to record any incidents that happen during the election process.
