Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticized the conduct of the Rivers State local government election, labeling it as “a desecration of democracy” and a perilous precedent for governance in Nigeria.
Obi pointed out the flaws in the exercise, which was overseen by a sole administrator whose appointment has sparked controversy.
He contended that the process deprived the populace of their constitutional right to select their leaders and instead solidified illegality.
“The conduct of the Rivers State local government election is rascality taken too far,” Obi asserted.
“It signifies a dual tragedy for our democracy when a sole administrator—who himself was illegally appointed—dares to oversee an election that should empower the populace. This is not democracy; it is a blatant desecration of its very foundation.”
He emphasized that such actions are unconstitutional, morally indefensible, and legally untenable, cautioning that “illegality can never give birth to legitimacy.”
In his view, any governance framework built on lawlessness jeopardizes both the state and its citizens.
Obi urged political leaders to revert to the path of democratic accountability by honoring the sanctity of the ballot and protecting the people’s right to choose, particularly at the grassroots level where governance affects citizens most directly.
“We cannot pretend to practice democracy while suppressing the will of the people,” he stated, adding that genuine progress can only be realized when leaders obtain their mandate from the people’s votes rather than from “contraptions that mock democracy.”
The Rivers poll has sparked extensive debate, with legal experts and civic organizations warning that the recurrent use of caretaker or sole administrators instead of elected councils undermines constitutional governance.
Obi’s intervention, observers note, highlights the increasing calls for reforms to ensure local government autonomy and restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
