By Ayomide Otitoju
Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has called on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to review and suspend the movement restriction imposed ahead of Saturday’s FCT Local Government elections.
The minister had declared Friday a work-free day and announced a restriction of movement from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday in preparation for the polls.
In a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Matilda Duncan, Senator Kingibe condemned the curfew, describing it as “authoritarian, ill-considered, and unacceptable in a democratic society.” She said the move, taken without consultation with stakeholders, undermines democratic governance and infringes on residents’ constitutional rights.
“The people of the FCT are not subjects under a dictatorship. Any sweeping restriction on their movement and livelihoods must be justified, scrutinised, and transparent,” Kingibe said, stressing that security concerns cannot justify “executive overreach.”
She warned that the curfew could inflict economic hardship on small businesses, workers, families, and international visitors, noting that ECOWAS parliamentarians are expected in the territory for a planned 10-day meeting starting Sunday.
Kingibe emphasised that curfews are only warranted for serious security threats, which she said do not exist in this case. She urged Minister Wike to immediately review and suspend the restriction, insisting that the rights, freedoms, and economic well-being of FCT residents must not be compromised by “arbitrary, authoritarian and draconian executive action.”
