The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the imposition of a curfew ahead of the recent area council elections in Abuja, insisting the decision was necessary for security reasons.
Speaking during a media chat at his office on Monday, the minister said he acted within his authority, describing himself as the “governor of the FCT” with responsibility for maintaining law and order.
Wike stated that the restriction of movement was approved by President Bola Tinubu, contrary to claims that the decision was unilateral.
According to him, his movements during the February 21 council elections did not influence the outcome of the polls, noting that the FCT has more than 3,000 polling units.
“I have the right, as the Chief Security Officer, to monitor what is happening for security purposes. I am not a candidate in the election,” he said, adding that visiting a few polling units could not have affected results across thousands of voting centres.
The former Rivers State governor also attributed the victory recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the performance of the Tinubu-led Federal Government, accusing opposition parties of poor preparation for the elections.
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Wike’s decision to restrict human and vehicular movement in the FCT from 8 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Saturday had drawn criticism from opposition figures and residents.
Among the critics is the senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, who described the move as autocratic and lacking adequate consultation with key stakeholders.
Kingibe argued that imposing a sweeping curfew without broad engagement undermines democratic governance and infringes on the constitutional rights of residents.
“They are citizens of a democratic republic. Any restriction on movement and livelihoods must be justified with compelling evidence, subjected to scrutiny, and implemented transparently,” she said.