Wike cannot determine who wins Area Council polls – Adebayo

By Jude Opara, Abuja

As campaigns for the Abuja Area Council elections hot up, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 election, Prince Adewole Adebayo has declared that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike has no right to determine who will win the election.

Adebayo who spoke on Wednesday during the campaign rally of the party in the Bwari Area Council took a swipe at Wike for allegedly claiming that he will determine those who will get elected in the six Area Councils of Abuja.

“I believe that notwithstanding the nonsensical commentary from the Minister of the FCT that he alone who is not even from here, who was not elected by anybody is the one to determine who is going to win. We have come here to let the people know that no, it’s not Wike but you who will determine who will be the chairman and the councillors”.

He urged the residents to ignore the comments said to have been made by the fact Minister by turning out enmass to vote for the candidate of the SDP, whom he claimed was the best to deliver the dividends of democracy to them.

The SDP chieftain further argued that the area council elections are even more important than the presidential election because the local governments are usually closer to the people; even as he assured them that the party if elected will ensure that the resources of the council would be channeled into the development of the entire area.

“I have just listened to all the candidates, because we are sure that listening to the candidates, we know that the SDP candidate is the best among them. He has the best programme, he has the best record, he has the best reputation and that is why we are here and to let them know that local government election is not a joke.

“It’s even more important than the presidential election. This is because the closest government to the people that will solve their immediate problem is the area council. If you have an area council that works, it will show. In this Bwari, they collect over N1b every month and it’s not showing.

“We want the people here to come out enmass and vote understand that the promises in the Constitution as contained in the Chapter 2 of the Constitution; fundamental objectives of state principles will implemented in Bwari and Bwari will see that actually Nigeria can work if the people can vote a good government in place”.

On how to checkmate the incident of rigging, Adebayo said when the people come out enmass to vote, they should also wait to see that their votes count.

“In the Area Council election, we only have three steps: the polling unit, the ward and the area council, so it is easier to checkmate any kind of manipulation. You see how people love SDP in Bwari, so where you are popular, strong and well organized, rigging will be for only those who want to risk their reputation”.

Earlier in his brief remarks, the SDP chairmanship candidate for Bwari Area Council, Hon. Abubakar Abdulahi said if elected, his administration would change Bwari from a sectional government to an inclusive government that works for everybody.