By Amanabo Ocholi – The Bureau News
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the recently concluded local government elections in Rivers State, describing the exercise as “an awful absurdity and a travesty to the very notion of elective democracy.”
In a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, which The Bureau News obtained, Atiku accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the process to gain political advantage at the expense of democratic values.
“The local government election conducted by the occupation government in Rivers State is an awful absurdity and a travesty to the very notion of elective democracy.
By the shameful and shambolic manner in which the occupation government went ahead to conduct local government elections in Rivers State, it is clear that the ruling APC party is not leaving anyone in doubt that it is prepared to throw caution to the wind in order to achieve an inordinate political advantage,” Atiku wrote.
The former vice president further urged opposition parties in Rivers State to reject the outcome of the election, insisting that the government that conducted the exercise “is extraneous to our laws, with absolutely no legitimacy to undertake such a crucial and sensitive assignment.”
Atiku also called on the international community and “all friends and partners of Nigeria” to take note of what he described as a dangerous political curve under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
In closing, he expressed solidarity with the people of Rivers State:
“I wish to share my unflinching solidarity with the good people of Rivers State, who are currently victims of political brigandry to a power cabal which is bent on overturning their democratic rights at all cost.”
The Rivers local government election has stirred controversy, with opposition parties and civil society groups questioning its credibility, while the state government insists it followed due process.
