The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of interfering in the ongoing area council elections in Abuja, warning that his presence around polling units could intimidate voters and undermine the credibility of the process.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party criticised what it described as Wike’s movement across polling centres under the guise of monitoring the elections. The ADC urged its agents and members to carefully document any irregularities observed during the polls.
The party strongly condemned the minister’s actions, arguing that his movements around polling units amounted to direct interference in the electoral process. It alleged that Wike’s monitoring exercise followed what it described as the unilateral imposition of a curfew on potential voters, which it said further restricted participation in the elections.
According to the ADC, Wike is not a registered voter in the Federal Capital Territory and, as a serving cabinet minister and partisan political figure, has no constitutional role in the conduct or monitoring of elections. The party maintained that his presence at polling units during active voting was inappropriate and potentially intimidating to both voters and electoral officials.
The ADC also claimed it had received reports of voter suppression and intimidation in parts of the FCT. These reports, the party said, included alleged collaboration between agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some security personnel deployed for election duties.
In addition, the party raised concerns over disruptions to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) operated by the Independent National Electoral Commission. It noted that the portal was reportedly inaccessible in several areas even as results were being collated, a development it said could further erode public confidence in the transparency of the election process.
The ADC called on relevant authorities to address these concerns promptly to safeguard the integrity of the elections.
