Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s reported endorsement of local government elections in Rivers State under the authority of a sole administrator, describing the move as a grave threat to Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
In a strongly worded statement released in Lagos on Tuesday, George took aim at the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) as Sole Administrator of Rivers State following the federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state on March 18, 2025.
He accused the Tinubu administration of “executive lawlessness” and warned of a looming slide into authoritarianism.
“The decision to endorse local government elections under a sole administrator, who was never elected by the people, is unconstitutional, undemocratic, and a blatant violation of the principles upon which the 1999 Constitution rests,” George stated.
He argued that the conduct of local government elections, an essential pillar of democratic participation, cannot be legitimately overseen by an unelected appointee.
“This action not only erodes constitutional order, but it also silences the voice of the people at the grassroots level,” George said.
Drawing historical parallels, the PDP chieftain cautioned that the move could plunge Nigeria back into the kind of political instability that plagued the Western Region during the 1960s, a period marked by electoral malpractice, civil unrest, and widespread disillusionment with governance.
George also urged the Nigerian Senate to reject any nominations forwarded by the President for positions in the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) or any related institutions while the state remains under emergency rule.
“The integrity of our electoral process must be safeguarded. To allow such a brazen abuse of power is to endorse autocracy in disguise,” George warned.