The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has denied ever declaring curfew during the recent Area Councils elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking on Monday during a Media Chat with some select Senor journalists in Abuja, Barr. Wike said that the work-free day and the restriction of movement were approved by President Bola Tinubu.
He said the President approved the work-free day to enable residents to travel to their respective communities to participate in the elections, and the restriction of movement was declared to maintain law and order during the elections.
Recall that on Thursday, February 19 2026, the Minister declared: “The President has approved the restriction of movement within the FCT from 8pm on Friday, February 20 to 6pm on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Consequently, all security agencies are directed to ensure strict compliance with this directive.”
However, the restriction of movement was condemned by some politicians, who saw the restriction of movement as a ploy to rig the elections.
Speaking on the restriction, the Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, berated the Minister for imposing restriction without wide consultation with the critical stakeholders in the FCT.
Kingibe, who described the action as “authoritarian, ill-considered, and unacceptable in a democratic society,” said it was also “a direct affront to democratic governance and the constitutional rights of residents.”
“The people of the FCT are not subjects under a dictatorship…They are citizens of a democratic republic. Any sweeping restriction on their movement and livelihoods must be justified by compelling evidence, subjected to scrutiny, and carried out with transparency,” she added.
Meanwhile, Wike said restriction of movement is a norm during elections, and an antidote to potential security threats during elections.
On alleged low turnout of voters during the elections, the Minister said, it was the responsibility of the political parties to mobilise their members to vote for them, and not to blame their failures to win the elections on the restriction.
Asked why he was moving around during the elections, after the declaration of restriction of movement, Wike said as a candidate he may not have the right to move around, but as the chief security officer of the FCT, he has the right to move around during the elections to monitor the conduct of the elections.
He mentioned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won five area councils because of the performance of President Bola Tinubu in the FCT, explaining that “when we assumed office, we went round the area councils to ask them what they wanted and we did what they requested.”
On who to support in the 2027 general elections, the Minister said he would not support a political party, but a candidate, declaring his support for President Bola Tinubu.
