The African Democratic Congress on Saturday criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for moving around polling units in Abuja during the Area Council elections.
The party said his presence at voting centres during the exercise amounted to interference in the electoral process.
In a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the minister’s role at the polling units.
The party argued that Wike is not a registered voter in the FCT and does not have any official responsibility in the conduct of the election.
It also linked his visits to earlier movement restrictions announced ahead of the poll, describing the development as troubling.
The ADC said reports from some areas pointed to voter intimidation and alleged cooperation between some security personnel and agents of the All Progressives Congress.
The party urged its members and supporters to stay calm but remain alert, while keeping records of any irregularities observed during the voting process.
The party also raised concern over the reported inaccessibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal at a time when votes were being collated.
It called on the electoral body to restore the platform and explain the reason for the disruption.
According to the ADC, the presence of a serving minister at polling centres during active voting could create fear among voters and officials. It urged citizens to report any incident that could affect the credibility of the election.
Earlier, videos circulated online showing Wike visiting polling units in Karu, Karshi and Garki. After touring some centres, the minister said the elections were peaceful and that security agencies were carrying out their duties.
He added that while turnout was low in the city centre, participation was better in satellite towns.
The exchange between the ADC and the minister comes amid ongoing voting across the FCT’s six area councils.