ABUJA — FCT Minister Nyesom Wike declared he imposed no curfew without President Bola Tinubu’s go-ahead ahead of Saturday’s Area Council elections. The restriction, from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday, drew fire from Senator Ireti Kingibe, who labeled it executive overreach.

Wike made the point clear while patrolling polling stations in Garki, Karu, Karshi, Wasa, Apo and Ketti districts. “I never imposed a curfew on my own,” he told reporters. “I said with the approval of Mr. President. It is unfortunate that this was misunderstood.”

On Thursday, Wike had announced Friday as a work-free day and the movement ban to secure peaceful voting. Kingibe, the FCT senator, slammed the order during a Channels Television interview. She called it “unacceptable in a democratic society” and said it trampled residents’ rights without consulting stakeholders. “The people of the FCT are citizens of a democratic republic, not subjects under a dictatorship,” Kingibe stated.

Wike brushed off the criticism. He said he would skip any public back-and-forth with the senator. “She has her problem, I don’t want to join issues,” he added. “At the end of the election, the results will speak for themselves.”

Polling appeared calm across the monitored sites. Wike praised residents for their orderly behavior. He thanked Independent National Electoral Commission staff and security forces for smooth operations. Low turnout marked some central areas, according to the minister, but no violence surfaced by midday.

“Maintain the peace until the polls close,” Wike urged voters. His comments came amid heightened scrutiny of FCT governance. Kingibe’s rebuke highlighted tensions between federal appointees and elected lawmakers over local control in Nigeria’s capital territory.

The Area Council elections cover six councils: Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abuja North. Results began trickling in late Saturday, with officials expecting full tallies by Sunday. Wike’s curfew aimed to curb potential disruptions from past polls marred by clashes.

Kingibe represents the Labour Party in the Senate. Wike, a former Rivers State governor, serves under Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress administration. Their clash highlights divides in FCT politics, where original inhabitants push for more say against migrant-dominated urban zones.