THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has cast his ballot in the Rivers local government elections.
Wike, the immediate governor of the state, voted around 11: 15 am in Rumepirikom, Ward 9, Unit 007, Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of the State, where he served as chairman for two terms.
He was a local government chairman in 1999 before he rose to become a governor, serving in that position from 2015 to 2023.
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After casting his ballot, the minister hailed the conduct of the exercise, described it as peaceful and also dismissed concerns over the non-usage of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the election.
“I am very happy. It means that people identify with the election,” Wike, who was surrounded by supporters and his media aide, Lere Olayinka, said after voting, dismissing concerns about voter apathy.
“You have not heard of any violence. You have not heard of carrying ballot boxes. You see that the electoral materials are there. People are there casting their votes. As far as we are concerned, the election is very peaceful.
“Of course we are concerned [about low turnout] but people are trooping out. Before the election closes, you will see the number of persons [increase]. So, we are very happy that, at the end of the day, this election has been conducted very peacefully and successfully.”
Although there is no usage of BVAS in the election, Wike said concerns over the development does not undermine the conduct of the polls.
The minister, one of the key figures in the state, was at the centre of the political crisis in the coastal state which led to the imposition of a state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu after failed efforts to reconcile Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Tinubu suspended Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Oduh and members of the Rivers State Assembly in March for a period of six months. He appointed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retired), to oversee the affairs of the state.
But many Nigerians have questioned the constitutionality of the move which Tinubu said was to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
According to Wike, with the conduct of the local government elections, the coast is now clear for the lifting of the emergency rule.
“So having done this, then the coast is clear for the state of emergency to be lifted, meaning that the local government has representatives, the state government has its own elected representatives, so we are good to go,” he said.