The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the movement of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, around polling units in Abuja during the ongoing Area Council elections, describing the action as undue interference in the electoral process.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the ADC faulted what it described as Wike’s so-called “monitoring” exercise, arguing that it followed the unilateral imposition of movement restrictions that, according to the party, discouraged voter participation. The party maintained that such actions undermine the integrity of the polls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The ADC argued that Wike is neither a registered voter in the FCT nor an electoral official and therefore has no constitutional or statutory role in supervising or monitoring elections. It further described the minister as a known partisan figure whose presence at polling units during active voting could intimidate voters, polling officials, and party agents.
According to the party, Wike’s movement around polling areas was “vexatious and meddlesome” and posed a serious risk to the neutrality expected of the electoral environment. The ADC claimed it had received reports of voter suppression and intimidation in parts of the FCT, alleging that some of these incidents involved collaboration between agents of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and certain security personnel deployed for the election.
The party also raised concerns over the functionality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), alleging that the platform remained inaccessible even as results were being collated. The ADC described the situation as a “curious coincidence” and called on INEC to immediately restore full functionality of the portal.
It further urged the electoral commission to provide a clear and public explanation for the disruption, stressing that transparency in result transmission is critical to public confidence in the election.
The ADC called on its party agents and supporters to remain calm but vigilant, advising them to document and report any incidents of intimidation, suppression, or irregularities. The party reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful participation while insisting that the integrity of the electoral process must be protected at all times.
