APC Wins 20 Chairmanship, PDP Wins 3 In Rivers Local Govt Election

• It’s an absurdity and travesty of democracy, declares Atiku
• RSIEC has done a wonderful job, says ex-Deputy Speaker
• Mockery of democracy – Peter Obi

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has won 20 chairmanship seats out of the 23 local government councils, with PDP winning three in the elections which held on Saturday, August 30, 2025.

The results, which were announced by Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, (RSIEC), Dr Michael Odey, indicated that the APC won in Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Akuku-Toru, Andoni, Asari-Toru, Bonny, Degema, Eleme, Emohua, Etche, Gokana, Ikwerre, Khana, Okrika, Omuma, Opobo/Nkoro, Oyigbo and Tai, while PDP won in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Obio/Akpor, and PHALGA.

Other results were as follow: Abua/Odual, Ofori Owoalabi, 28755 votes (APC); Ahoada East, Solomon Achoma, 54509 (APC); Ahoada West, Eugene Epelle, 84125 votes (APC);Akulga, Bob Fubara 63593 votes (APC); Andoni, Lucky Promise, 126181 votes (APC); and Asalga, George Onegiyeofori, 56383 votes (APC).

Also, Bonny, Abinye Blessing Pepple, 13543 votes (APC);Degema, Michael John Williams, 61536 votes (APC);Eleme, Obarilomate Ollor 77452 vote (APC); Emohua, Chidi Loyd 114380 votes (APC); and Etche, Njoku Boniface, 100649 votes (APC).

Following, too, Gokana,  Dekor Confidence, 96478 votes (APC); Ikwerre, Charles Wobodo,  62746 votes (APC);Khana, Bariere Thomas, 156027 votes (APC); Obio Akpor Gift Worlu,  328823 votes (PDP) and ONELGA, Shedrack Ogbogu, 51051 votes.

There were also Ogu/Bolo, Vincent Nemioboka 36374 votes (APC); Okrika, Akuro Tobin, 32285 votes (APC); Omuma, Obasi Uchechwuku, 38530 votes (APC); Opobo/Nkoro, Barr James A. James, 38822 votes (APC); Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara, 101495 votes (APC); PHALGA, Allwell Ihunda, 235054 votes (PDP); and Tai LGA, Mbakpone Okpe, 70,080 votes (APC).

In his reaction, former vice president and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the just concluded local government elections in Rivers State as an absurdity and travesty of democracy.

He also described the election as shameful and shambolic, while calling on the opposition political parties in Rivers State to reject the outcome of the election.

In a statement, the former vice-president said, “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.

“It, therefore, becomes necessary to call the attention of well-meaning Nigerians. international community and all friends and partners of Nigeria to the dangerous curve that the President Bola Tinubu regime is taking our dear country.

“I will also call on all opposition parties in Rivers State to reject the local government election on the premise that the occupation government that conducted the exercise is extraneous to our laws, with absolutely no legitimacy to undertake such a crucial and sensitive assignment.

“In the same breath, 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.”

However, the Legal Adviser, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Okachi Ordu stated: “The election that was conducted on August 30, 2025 is one of the best things that happened in the state, one of the best things that Rivers people are expecting, it’s the best we have ever seen. It’s seamless and rancour-free election and the freest and fairest election we have ever seen in Rivers State.

“This is to say Rivers people have come out once again to speak with their PVC to choose those who will man the affairs of Rivers State. And we PDP stakeholders in Rivers State we are very much happy and all results as being declared here today is well expected and we have accepted the result in good faith and for the good and betterment of Rivers State.”

Also, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), Chibudom Nwuche, has commended RSIEC for the successful conduct of the local government elections in Rivers.

Nwuche, who monitored the election as an observer, said the election was peaceful and credible across the 23 local government areas of the state.

He commended the people for coming out en-masse to cast their votes and for maintaining decorum throughout the exercise, adding there was no report of violence or disturbances in any part of the state.

Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has described Rivers State’s recently concluded local government elections as a “mockery of democracy”.

Obi said in a post on his official X late on Sunday that the conduct was rascality taken too far, representing a double tragedy for the country’s democracy.

According to him, when an illegally appointed Sole Administrator conducts an election intended to empower the people, it is a degradation of democracy’s basic foundation.

The statement reads thus: ” Rivers LG Election: A Mockery of Democracy. 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.

“Such actions are unconstitutional, legally untenable, and morally indefensible. They send a dangerous message that the rule of law can be discarded at the whim of those in power. But the truth remains unshaken: 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.

“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.

“If we truly seek progress, we must uphold the sanctity of the ballot, safeguard the people’s right to choose, and insist that leadership at every level flows from their mandate – not from contraptions that mock democracy. Only then will governance have meaning, and only then can the sacred bond of trust between leaders and the people be restored.”