Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has strongly criticised the conduct of the Rivers State Local Government Election, describing it as “a mockery of democracy”.
In a statement shared on his official X handle on Sunday, Obi condemned the process, which was overseen by a sole administrator, whom he said lacked the legal and moral authority to preside over such an election.
“The conduct of the Rivers State local Government election is rascality taken too far. It represents a double tragedy for our democracy when a Sole Administrator – himself illegally appointed – dares to conduct an election that should empower the people. This is not democracy; it is the outright desecration of its very foundation,” Obi said.
He further stated that such actions were “unconstitutional, legally untenable, and morally indefensible,” warning that they send a dangerous signal that the rule of law can be disregarded at will by those in power.
According to him, “illegality can never give birth to legitimacy. Any structure erected on a foundation of lawlessness is a danger to both the state and the people.”
The Labour Party flagbearer urged Nigeria to embrace true democratic principles, especially at the grassroots level, where governance directly affects citizens’ daily lives.
“Nigeria cannot afford to continue on this perilous path. We cannot pretend to practise democracy while silencing the will of the people – especially at the grassroots, where democracy matters most,” he said.
Obi concluded by calling for the protection of the people’s right to vote, stressing that leadership must always derive from the mandate of the electorate, not from what he described as “contraptions that mock democracy.”
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