The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has severely criticised the European Union (EU) over its report on the Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, saying the report did not give the true position of the last election held in the country.
Wike, who made his dissatisfaction known when the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, paid him a visit in his office on Monday, said that the report created a wrong impression on the minds of the electorate especially in his native Rivers State.
The Minister said the EU was supposed to serve as an observer during the last elections and not to present a report that would not give the true picture of Nigerian democracy.
Recall that the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), through the chief observer, Barry Andre, had in June presented its final report on the 2023 general election, and highlighted six priority areas with recommendations.
Wike, however, said Nigerian laws can not be the same as those of the EU because they have different environments.
“I did not agree with the European Union over the last report on the elections in Nigeria. They are to observe. Nigerian laws can not be the same as EU laws because they have different environments.
“In Rivers State, the EU’s report was different from what transpired there. How can people who believe in democracy and practice it be portrayed as people who do not understand democracy?
“Our concern should be how to make the economy grow better, we have to cooperate and agree on specific areas of development in the Federal Capital Territory and the entire country. Foreign partners should be concerned with strategic development irrespective of the areas,” he said.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, while responding, said the report was put together by independent observers and has nothing to do with her operations.
She pledged the Union’s commitment to work with the Minister to boost development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and beyond.