Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has vehemently condemned the curfew imposed on Abuja residents by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ahead of Saturday’s area council elections. Kingibe described the measure as authoritarian, ill-considered, and unacceptable, arguing it represents executive overreach and a direct affront to democratic governance within the nation’s capital.

Minister Wike had announced a restriction of human and vehicular movement across the FCT from 8 p.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. on Saturday. Additionally, he declared Friday a work-free day to facilitate residents' preparations for the polls. This directive was conveyed through a special broadcast on national television and radio stations.

In response, Senator Kingibe, speaking in an interview with Arise Television and through a press statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Matilda Duncan, maintained that the curfew unnecessarily limits the freedom and constitutional rights of FCT residents. She emphasized that the people of Abuja are "citizens of a democratic republic, not subjects under a dictatorship," and that decisions of such magnitude must be transparent, subjected to scrutiny, and involve broad consultation with critical stakeholders.

Kingibe challenged the justification for the curfew, stating there have been no reported serious security breaches in the FCT to warrant such a sweeping restriction on movement. She noted that sensitive election materials were already on the ground and secured, implying that security concerns, while important, should not be a blanket justification for executive overreach. The Senator pointed out that this is not the first election in the FCT, nor is Wike the first minister to administer the territory, suggesting a lack of precedent for such drastic action.

Furthermore, Senator Kingibe warned of the severe economic hardship the curfew would inflict on small business owners and daily wage earners who rely heavily on evening trade for their livelihoods. She also raised concerns about the disruption of pre-planned social events, including weddings, receptions, and embassy functions scheduled for the weekend. Beyond local impacts, Kingibe highlighted potential diplomatic implications, noting that ECOWAS Parliamentarians were expected to arrive on Sunday for a 10-day extraordinary meeting, and such "draconian measures" could create panic and damage Nigeria's international standing as a diplomatic and commercial hub.

The Senator called on Minister Wike to immediately review and suspend the curfew, asserting that the rights, freedoms, and economic well-being of the FCT's people must never be compromised by arbitrary or authoritarian executive actions.