The Digest:
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's tour of polling units during Saturday's Area Council elections, describing his presence as "direct interference" and potential voter intimidation. In a statement, National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said Wike's "monitoring exercise, after unilaterally imposing a curfew on potential voters, represents direct interference in the election." The party noted Wike "is not a registered voter in the FCT, and as a known partisan and cabinet minister, he has no constitutional role in the exercise." ADC flagged reports of voter suppression, alleged collaboration between APC agents and security personnel, and disruptions to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which "has remained inaccessible even as results are being collated." The party described Wike's presence as "vexatious and meddlesome," risking intimidation of voters and officials, and called for IReV functionality restoration.
Key Points:
- ADC's condemnation raises questions about ministerial interference in elections.
- It highlights tensions between partisan officials and electoral integrity.
- Voters may feel intimidated, while Wike's actions face scrutiny.
- This signals the need for clear boundaries for officials during elections.
- The timing, with IReV down, compounds transparency concerns.
ADC condemns Wike's polling unit visits as "direct interference," citing his non-voter status, pre-election curfew, and IReV disruption amid low turnout.
Sources: The Punch, ADC Statement
