Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the recent local government elections in Rivers State, calling them “an awful absurdity and a travesty to the very notion of elective democracy.”
PUNCH Online earlier reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victory in 20 out of the 23 local government areas, while the ruling PDP in the state won just three LGAs in elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission on Saturday.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Atiku criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming the elections were handled in a disgraceful and chaotic manner.
“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 is not hiding its intention to abandon due process for political gain,” Atiku said.
He called on Nigerians, the international community, and Nigeria’s development partners to take note of what he described as a “dangerous curve” in the nation’s democratic journey under the Tinubu administration.
Atiku further urged opposition parties in Rivers State to outrightly reject the outcome of the elections.
“I urge all opposition parties in Rivers State to reject the local government election results, as the occupation government that conducted the process has no legal authority or legitimacy to carry out such a critical and sensitive exercise,” he said.
Concluding his statement, Atiku expressed solidarity with the people of Rivers State, stating they had become “victims of political brigandage by a power-hungry cabal determined to subvert their democratic rights at any cost.”
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