Court Has Not Declared Rivers Council Polls Illegal, Wike Tells Atiku, Obi

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday dismissed criticisms from opposition leaders regarding the recent local government elections in Rivers State, asserting that no court has declared the polls illegal.

Wike was responding to remarks by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, who both described the elections as unlawful.

Speaking during a media parley, the minister defended the conduct of the polls, stating that they were held in accordance with the law and widely praised for being free and fair.

He said, “Listen, I don’t blame Atiku; he probably doesn’t know that his boss signed the emergency rule in 2004. If he had been in sync with his boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he would understand that the President has the power to issue regulations for the governance of areas under emergency rule.

“So, he’s simply not aware. And like I always say, if you don’t understand an issue, it’s best not to comment. If Atiku were speaking on matters relating to the Customs, I would defer to him—he worked there. But this is a matter of law.

“He doesn’t know that the 2004 emergency rule was signed by his boss.”

Wike also took a swipe at Atiku’s political trajectory, saying: “Just look at his record. In 1999, he was with the PDP. In 2007, he ran under the Action Congress. In 2011, he returned to the PDP to contest the presidential ticket but left again.

“In 2014, he joined the APC and ran for president. In 2017, he returned to the PDP, became the candidate in 2019, and again in 2023.”