The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised the Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, over her comments on the recent council election, insisting that elections are a process and not a one-day event.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Monday, the former Governor of Rivers State stressed that electoral outcomes in the FCT are determined solely by voters.
Wike said the February 21 poll should not be viewed in isolation, noting that preparations for any election begin long before the voting day.
“It’s a process that starts from the nomination of candidates. It’s a process that goes through a campaign before it gets to an election. So election is not just that particular date of voting,” he said.
He likened the electoral process to preparing for an examination, stressing that serious contenders do not wait until the last minute.
“You are going to school, you know the exam will come, and the exam will be in two or three months’ time. Nobody waits for the exam to come before they know that you are prepared for the exam. So it’s a process. You must attend classes. You must read to be prepared for the exam,” he said.
The minister added that those who fail to prepare often look for excuses, saying that, “That is why you see students who are not prepared for exams, when they see an opportunity, they will search for a strike. They will call for a strike, so they are not allowed to write the exam.”
