FCT election curfew: I thought senator should be able to read – Wike fires back at Kingibe
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday fired back at FCT Senator, Ireti Kingibe, over her criticism of the movement restrictions imposed ahead of the Area Council election, declaring that he thought as a senator, she should be able to read the fine print of his announcements.
Wike, who was speaking on Saturday during his personal monitoring of the polls across the FCT, dismissed Kingibe’s outburst as unfortunate, insisting that he did not impose the curfew on his own authority but only with the express approval of President Bola Tinubu.
The exchange underscores the growing tensions between the two political heavyweights, with Kingibe, representing the FCT in the National Assembly, having blown hot on Friday by slamming the minister’s action as unacceptable in a democratic society.
“It is unfortunate, I thought as a Senator she should be able to read. I never imposed a curfew on my own. I said with the approval of Mr. President,” Wike responded pointedly, his words carrying the weight of a man defending his turf amid the high-stakes local polls.
The minister’s sharp retort came just a day after Senator Kingibe had publicly condemned the restrictions, arguing they stifled democratic participation in the nation’s capital.
For context, Wike had on Thursday taken to the airwaves in a special broadcast, declaring Friday a work-free day across Abuja to allow residents prepare for the Area Council election, a move aimed at ensuring a smooth process in the six area councils.
He followed this up by announcing a lockdown on human and vehicular movement throughout the FCT, effective from 8pm on Friday until 6pm on Saturday, to curb potential disruptions and guarantee security during voting.
Wike’s monitoring tour on Saturday, which saw him inspecting polling units in key areas, appeared to go off without major hitches despite the curfew row, as security operatives enforced the restrictions with visible deployments. Sources close to the minister said his hands-on approach was deliberate, aimed at countering narratives of interference in the polls often leveled against the FCT administration.
Senator Kingibe, a Labour Party lawmaker elected in the 2023 polls, has not been shy in clashing with Wike, whom she has accused in the past of overreach in FCT governance.
As results from the election begin to trickle in, political observers are watching closely to see if this public spat escalates or fades into the background of what has been described as a keenly contested race for area council leadership.
Comments are closed