ABUJA — A political analyst, Dr. Sani Abubakar, has voiced concern over the political climate in Rivers State, warning that the fallout from the recent local government elections poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic future.
In an interview reported by Daily Post on Monday, September 8, 2025, Abubakar said the polls had exposed “serious flaws” in the nation’s electoral process, stressing that short-term political gains secured by President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, could inflict long-term damage on the country’s democracy.
“I’m scared for President Tinubu, as well as Wike, because posterity will not be kind to them. One day, Nigerians will give their verdict. Many people know that the system is wrong, but they don’t have the courage to condemn it. Everybody is looking the other way,” Abubakar stated.
According to him, public silence in the face of irregularities cannot last forever, as growing disillusionment will eventually push Nigerians to demand accountability. He warned that the Rivers elections serve as a “dangerous signal” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Abubakar further noted that voter confidence is already weakening, while public trust in key institutions, including the judiciary, has continued to erode. He argued that when citizens lose faith in governance structures, it creates fertile ground for anger, instability, and future unrest.
While acknowledging that Tinubu and Wike may view the outcome of the Rivers polls as a political victory, Abubakar cautioned that the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy is at stake.
“Democracy should be about fairness, transparency, and the will of the people. What played out in Rivers was the opposite,” he said.
He maintained that history would ultimately judge those who place power above principles, insisting that true democratic leadership must uphold fairness and strengthen institutions rather than weaken them.
