Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, condemned the report of the European Union (EU) on the 2023 Nigerian general elections.

He said the report did not give a true position of the polls but created a wrong impression in the minds of the electorate, especially in Rivers State.

Wike made his dissatisfaction known when EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, paid him a visit in his office.

The minister said the EU was supposed to function as an observer, rather than present a report, which, according to him, did not give a true picture of the country’s democracy.

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), through its chief observer, Barry Andres, had, in June, presented its final report on the elections and highlighted six priority areas, alongside recommendations.

“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 report was different from what transpired there. How can people that believe in democracy and practice it, be portrayed as people that don’t understand democracy?” Wike asked.

He added: “Our concern should be how to make the economy grow better. We have to cooperate and agree on specific areas of development in the FCT and the entire country. Foreign partners should be concerned about strategic development.”

Responding, Isopi said the report was put together by independent observers and had no direct bearing with her own operations. She also pledged the EU’s commitment to working with the minister to boost development in the FCT.