FCT Election: ADC raises alarm over voter suppression plot

By our reporter

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed serious concern over what it described as the “government’s declaration of premature curfew in Abuja ahead of the upcoming elections on Saturday.”

The party asserts that the government’s decision to impose restrictions on movement a day before the election is a blatant move to suppress voter turnout, having realised that it stood no chance in the election.

ADC press statement in Abuja on Friday night noted, “While some restrictions on movements on election day may be justified, the conventional practice is for such restrictions to commence at midnight on election day.  We are therefore concerned by the decision of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to impose a curfew on the FCT from 8pm on Friday.  The ADC would therefore like to register our strong objections to these premature restrictions on movement.

“Elections must be conducted in an atmosphere that is not only safe but also visibly free and open to all eligible voters. Abuja residents must be able to travel safely to their polling units, remain there until the voting process is concluded, and return home without fear of harassment, obstruction, or arbitrary restriction of movement.”