Tinubu approved lifting of movement restrictions to boost FCT voter turnout — Wike
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu personally approved the lifting of movement restrictions last Friday to enable residents travel to their area councils and participate in Saturday’s elections.
Wike made this known on Sunday night after a meeting with the President at the Aso Rock Villa, while responding to criticism over his presence at polling units during the polls.
“By the approval of Mr President, he said restrictions should be lifted on Friday so people could go back to their area councils and participate in the electoral process,” the minister stated.
He dismissed allegations that his presence at polling units amounted to voter intimidation, describing his critics as uninformed.
“For somebody to wake up in the morning and just comment without really knowing fully what has happened… You must not always comment just because you want to comment. Comment on something you have facts about,” he said.
The African Democratic Congress had earlier questioned Wike’s presence at polling centres, suggesting it could influence voters. However, the former Rivers State governor rejected the claim, insisting he did not interfere in the electoral process.
“The President gave approval. I did not impose myself,” he added.
In the election held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured five of the six chairmanship seats in the FCT area councils — Abaji, Bwari, Kwali, Municipal Area Council and Abuja Municipal. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won Gwagwalada.
Wike attributed the APC’s victory to ongoing infrastructure development across the FCT, noting that the results reflected public appreciation of government performance.
“The message is to show that when there is good work, people appreciate it. Government has won not only in the cities but when you go to the satellite towns, you can see the impact, people who have now seen what government can do,” he said.
He further maintained that the election was credible, stating, “I do know that the conduct was free and fair from the reports.”
The FCT polls were conducted alongside by-elections in Rivers and Kano states. The exercise marked the first electoral outing under the newly signed Electoral Act 2026, which President Tinubu assented to just three days before the elections.
