By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a public holiday for Friday, February 20, and restricted movement within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from 8 pm on Friday to 6 pm on Saturday, February 21, ahead of the Area Council elections.
The approval was announced by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, in a press release signed by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant, Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister. The move is aimed at ensuring a peaceful and successful conduct of the elections.
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According to the release, the restriction of movement is expected to help maintain law and order, and ensure the safety of citizens and election materials. All security agencies have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
The Area Council elections are scheduled to be held on Saturday, February 21, and residents of the FCT are expected to turn out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. The declaration of Friday as a public holiday is expected to give residents ample time to prepare and participate in the elections.
The FCT Minister’s office has urged residents to go about their normal activities on Friday, but to stay indoors during the restricted period on Saturday, except for essential services. The office also appealed to residents to cooperate with security agencies and ensure a peaceful voting process.
The restriction of movement is expected to affect traffic and commercial activities in the FCT, and residents are advised to plan accordingly. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has put in place measures to ensure a smooth and transparent election process.
