The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised comments made by the Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, regarding the recent council election, insisting that elections should be understood as a process rather than a one-day affair.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Monday, March 2, the former Rivers State governor emphasised that electoral outcomes in the FCT are determined solely by voters and not by isolated events on voting day.
“It’s a process that starts from the nomination of candidates. It’s a process that goes through a campaign before it gets to an election.
So election is not just that particular date of voting,”Wike said, referring to the February 21 poll.
He cautioned against viewing the election in isolation, noting that preparations for any credible contest begin well before ballots are cast.
Drawing an analogy with academic examinations, Wike argued that serious contenders must prepare long in advance.
“You are going to school, you know the exam will come, and the exam will be in two or three months’ time.
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Nobody waits for the exam to come before they know that you are prepared for the exam. So it’s a process. You must attend classes. You must read to be prepared for the exam,” he stated.
The minister further suggested that inadequate preparation often leads to excuses after the fact.
“That is why you see students who are not prepared for exams, when they see an opportunity, they will search for a strike. They will call for a strike, so they are not allowed to write the exam,” he added.
Wike’s remarks come amid heightened political discourse following the council elections in the FCT, with stakeholders continuing to assess the outcomes and implications for future contests.
His comments underscore the enduring tensions within the territory’s political landscape and the broader debate over electoral accountability and preparation.