Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly condemned the conduct of the Rivers State local government elections, describing the exercise as “rascality taken too far” and a “double tragedy for our democracy.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, Obi faulted the decision to allow a Sole Administrator—whom he termed “illegally appointed”—to preside over an election that should have empowered the people through the ballot box.
“This is not democracy; it is the outright desecration of its very foundation,” Obi declared.
The controversial elections, held on Saturday, saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) secure victories in 20 out of 23 local government areas (LGAs), while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) managed to win only three.
The outcome has fueled a wave of criticism across the political landscape. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar had earlier dismissed the poll as “a travesty to the very notion of elective democracy,” while civil society groups described it as a blatant abuse of process.
Obi joined in the condemnation, warning that the process was “unconstitutional, legally untenable, and morally indefensible.” He argued that such actions set a dangerous precedent, suggesting that “the rule of law can be discarded at the whim of those in power.”
“Illegality can never give birth to legitimacy,” he stressed. “Any structure erected on a foundation of lawlessness is a danger to both the state and the people.”
The Labour Party stalwart further called for a return to true democratic principles at the grassroots, urging leaders to uphold the sanctity of the ballot and safeguard the people’s right to choose their representatives.
“If we truly seek progress, we must insist that leadership at every level flows from the people’s mandate—not from contraptions that mock democracy,” Obi said. “Only then will governance have meaning, and only then can the sacred bond of trust between leaders and the people be restored.”
