The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, said on Monday that an election is a process that extends beyond voting day, in remarks addressed to Senator Ireti Kingibe following her criticism of conduct surrounding the recent Area Council elections in Abuja.

The comments came after the February 21 area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in which voting was conducted across the six councils.

Senator Kingibe had criticised decisions connected with the elections, including movement restrictions ahead of the poll.

Wike, a former Governor of Rivers State and current FCT minister, emphasised that electoral outcomes are shaped over a period of time, including through candidate nomination and campaign activities, rather than being defined solely by the day of voting.

Speaking during a media interaction in Abuja, Wike stated that the electoral process begins long before voting day and drew an analogy with preparing for examinations, saying serious participants prepare well in advance.

“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.

Wike also referenced comments attributed to Kingibe, suggesting she had said the local government election would be used to “teach me a lesson,” and said such remarks reflected a misunderstanding of how elections unfold.

The minister addressed claims around movement restrictions ahead of the polls, saying he did not personally impose a curfew but acted with the approval of the President in issuing directives to facilitate voter participation and movement.

Wike said, “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 added, “By the approval of Mr President… I never declared any curfew.”

Wike’s statements contribute to ongoing public debate about election conduct and governance in the Federal Capital Territory, particularly ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The emphasis on viewing election as a process reflects discussions within political circles and among stakeholders on electoral preparedness and democratic engagement.