Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu for endorsing local government elections in Rivers State under the control of a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.). Ibas was appointed following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state on March 18, 2025.
George condemned the arrangement as unconstitutional, asserting that Ibas—being unelected—lacks the legal mandate to conduct local polls. He described the development as a direct threat to democratic governance in Nigeria.
In his remarks, George accused the Tinubu administration of exhibiting executive lawlessness and steering the country toward authoritarian rule. He called on the Senate to reject any nominations sent by the President for positions in the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and other related institutions.
According to George, permitting an unelected official to organize elections erodes constitutional order and silences the voice of the electorate. He warned that such actions could revive the kind of political instability that plagued Nigeria during the Western Region crisis of the 1960s.
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