The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday, came down hard on the European Union (EU) over its report which condemned the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.
He said the report did not give the true position of the election but rather created a wrong impression on the minds of the electorate, especially in Rivers State.
Wike made his position known when the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, paid him a 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.
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The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), through the chief observer, Barry Andres, had in June presented its final report on the general elections, and highlighted six priority areas with recommendations.
Wike, however, said Nigerian laws could not be the same as those of the EU because they have different environments.
“I didn’t agree with the European Union over the last report on the election in Nigeria. They are to observe, that Nigerian laws can’t be the same with EU laws because they have different environments.
“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,” the minister said.
Responding, the EU ambassador said the report was put together by independent observers and had nothing to do with her own operations.
Isopi pledged the union’s commitment to work with the minister to boost development in the territory and beyond.
