The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned the role of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Saturday’s FCT Area Council elections, accusing him of direct interference, voter intimidation, and constitutional overreach.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the party denounced Wike’s decision to move around various polling units in Abuja under the guise of “monitoring” the exercise, particularly after imposing a unilateral curfew on potential voters in the territory.

The ADC stressed that Wike, who is not a registered voter in the FCT, has no legal or constitutional standing to participate in or oversee the electoral process.

“Wike’s ‘monitoring’ exercise, after unilaterally imposing a curfew on potential voters, represents direct interference in the election.

He is not a registered voter in the FCT, and as a known partisan and cabinet minister, Wike has no constitutional role in the election exercise. His presence during active voting is therefore not only vexatious and meddlesome, but also risks intimidating voters and officials”, the statement read.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who signed the release, further accused the Minister of creating an environment of fear around the elections, noting that his movements appeared designed to harass rather than monitor.

In a related vein, the ADC disclosed that it had received multiple reports of voter suppression and intimidation in several parts of the FCT. The party specifically alleged collaboration between agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some security personnel, which it claimed was aimed at disenfranchising voters.

Beyond the conduct of political actors, the ADC raised serious concerns over technical disruptions affecting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The party noted that the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) had remained inaccessible even as results were being collated across the various area councils.

“We find this a curious coincidence,” the party stated, calling on INEC to urgently restore full functionality to the IReV and provide a clear public explanation for the disruption.

The ADC urged all its party agents and supporters to remain calm but vigilant, and to meticulously document all incidents of harassment, intimidation, or electoral malpractice for future action.

“The ADC urges all our party agents and voters to remain calm but vigilant, and to document all incidents,” the statement concluded.