The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on Monday, October 9, came down hard on the European Union (EU) over its report on the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.
He said the report did not give the true position of the last election held in the country but created a wrong impression on the minds of the electorate especially in Rivers State.
Wike expressed his dissatisfaction when the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, paid him a working visit in his office.
The minister said the EU was supposed to serve as an observer during the last election and not to present a report that would not give the true picture of Nigerian democracy.
European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), through the Chief Observer, Barry Andres had in June presented its final report on the last Nigerian general elections, and highlighted six priority areas with recommendations.
Wike, however, said Nigerian laws can’t be the same as those of the EU because they have different environments.
He said: “I didn’t agree with the European Union over the last report on the election in Nigeria. They are to observe. Nigerian laws can’t 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 don’t 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”.
Responding, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, said the report was put together by independent observers and has nothing to do with her own operations.
She pledged the Union’s commitment to work with the Minister to boost development in the territory and beyond.