Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice-President and presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has strongly condemned the local government elections held in Rivers State, calling the process an “awful absurdity” and a “travesty” to the principles of democratic elections.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) conducted the Chairmanship and Councillorship elections on Saturday, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) securing victory in 20 out of 23 local government areas. Meanwhile, the ruling PDP managed to win only three LGAs in the controversial election.
Reacting to the outcome, Atiku expressed his disappointment in a post on X (formerly Twitter), describing the election as “shameful and shambolic” and accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of manipulating the electoral process for political gain. He said, “The ruling APC party has clearly shown it is willing to throw caution to the wind in order to gain an unfair political advantage.”
Atiku’s criticism extended beyond the election results themselves. He warned Nigerians and the international community to take note of what he called a “dangerous curve” that the current administration was steering the country towards. In his view, the conduct of the Rivers State election exemplifies the disregard for democratic values that he believes the administration is cultivating.
The PDP candidate also appealed directly to opposition parties in Rivers State, urging them to reject the election results. Atiku argued that the government behind the election process lacked the legitimacy to oversee such an important matter, as it was “extraneous to our laws.”
In conclusion, Atiku voiced his solidarity with the people of Rivers State, who he claimed were suffering under the oppression of a political clique that was determined to undermine their democratic rights.
