A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Dele Momodu, has expressed deep frustration over the state of the nation, saying he has “almost given up” on Nigeria.

Momodu made the remarks during a virtual interview shared on X on Thursday, where he gave a critical assessment of last Saturday’s Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The journalist-turned-politician described the election as poorly conducted, labelling it “shambolic” and “extremely bad.” He said he was particularly concerned that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, whom he referred to as an interested party, was seen moving from one polling unit to another during the exercise under the guise of monitoring.

According to Momodu, such actions raised questions about fairness and equal treatment, arguing that if one political figure was allowed to move freely around polling units, others should have been granted the same privilege. He referenced the ADC’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, as an example of someone who could have also sought similar access.

He further noted that widespread voter apathy reflected a growing loss of confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“I am in the opposition. My responsibility is not to applaud an election that was badly managed. An interested minister was allowed to go from polling unit to polling unit claiming to monitor the process. That sends the wrong signal,” he said.

Momodu also criticised the movement restrictions imposed during the election, questioning the decision to effectively shut down parts of Abuja. He argued that elections in other democracies are conducted without disrupting normal activities, citing his experience observing elections in Ghana, where voters were able to cast their ballots without harassment or heavy restrictions.

He maintained that Nigeria’s democratic process was regressing under the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the situation as disappointing.

The ADC stalwart also alleged that some voters were unable to locate their polling units or find their names on the register, further questioning claims that the election was successful.

According to him, Nigeria must improve its electoral standards to rebuild public trust and protect the integrity of its democracy.