The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed concerns about the absence of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the recently conducted local government elections in Rivers State.
Wike, who served as the immediate past governor of the state, made the remark after casting his vote at about 11:15 a.m. in Rumuepirikom, Ward 9, Unit 007, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, where he once held office as council chairman for two terms. He commended the conduct of the polls, describing the exercise as peaceful.
Wike first emerged in public office as a local government chairman in 1999 before becoming governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023. 
Meanwhile, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a presidential aspirant and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has distanced himself from the two major factions within the opposition party. He stressed that he does not align with either former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s camp or Wike’s camp.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday, Olawepo-Hashim emphasized that his loyalty is to political principles and the Nigerian people, not to godfathers or power blocs.
“I do not belong to any camp. I am Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim. I have always stood on my own political convictions and principles,” he said.
“I Am Not Wike’s Political Boy”
Olawepo-Hashim dismissed suggestions that he is aligned with Wike, pointing out that he had been active in PDP politics long before the former Rivers governor rose to prominence.
“With due respect to former governor Wike, I cannot be described as his political boy. Twenty-five years ago, when we were debating zoning and tenure extension within the PDP National Executive Committee, where was Wike in the party? At that time, I was already a Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, speaking at the highest levels of the party,” he said.
He also ruled out belonging to Atiku’s camp, recalling past disagreements with the former Vice President.
