(DDM) – Former Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has publicly criticised the conduct of the recently concluded local government elections in the state.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Cole expressed his dissatisfaction during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Tuesday, stressing that the electoral exercise lacked transparency and inclusiveness.
Cole, who was the APC’s governorship flagbearer in the 2023 elections, argued that the process should have been conducted with greater fairness and broader public participation.
He said he did not agree with the manner in which the elections were held, emphasising that the approach used failed to meet the expectations of Rivers people.
According to him, a more holistic system of engaging citizens and ensuring they understood the impact of the polls on their welfare would have produced better legitimacy.
Cole described the flawed conduct of grassroots elections as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy, warning that such practices could create long-term dangers if not addressed.
He stressed that undermining local democracy weakened public trust and risked alienating citizens from active participation in governance.
Despite his strong reservations, Cole admitted that the elections were now a concluded process and encouraged stakeholders to begin preparations for future political contests.
He said the focus should shift to building systems that would ensure credibility in subsequent elections across the state.
The local government polls, which took place earlier this week, saw the APC sweep 20 chairmanship positions, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured just three seats.
Political observers have linked the APC’s dominance to the influence of former Rivers governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, who reportedly backed the party in the contest.
The development is seen as a dramatic twist in Rivers politics, given Wike’s long-standing history with the PDP before his fallout with the party’s leadership.
The PDP, which has traditionally controlled Rivers grassroots politics, struggled in the exercise, raising fresh debates about shifting political loyalties in the oil-rich state.
Analysts argue that the results of the local government elections could reshape Rivers’ political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
They believe Wike’s alignment with the APC in the state is part of his wider strategy to consolidate influence at both state and federal levels.
Cole’s reaction underscores a growing concern among opposition voices that local government elections in Nigeria are often stage-managed by ruling parties at the state level.
Critics note that across the country, local polls rarely reflect competitive democracy, with state electoral commissions frequently accused of bias and manipulation.
The Rivers outcome has therefore sparked renewed calls for reforms, with civil society groups urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take over the supervision of grassroots elections.
Cole’s comments also highlight deepening divisions within the Rivers APC, where some members have expressed unease about Wike’s rising dominance in the party structure.
While the former APC governorship candidate stopped short of rejecting the official results outright, his position reflects unease over the credibility of the polls.
For many in Rivers State, the controversy surrounding the election is another reminder of Nigeria’s unresolved struggle with building transparent electoral institutions.
As the dust settles, attention now shifts to how the APC will manage its new dominance at the local government level and how the PDP plans to regroup.
Observers warn that the failure to address credibility gaps in local elections could undermine governance at the grassroots, leaving communities vulnerable to elite power struggles.
Cole’s statement therefore resonates beyond Rivers politics, raising questions about the health of Nigeria’s democratic experiment at the third tier of government.
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