The Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, has condemned the conduct of the August 30, 2025, local government elections in Rivers State, describing the exercise as a “democratic scam” and an outright violation of the constitution.
Epelle argued that the polls, supervised by a democratically elected government, lacked both legal backing and credibility.
“It’s unfortunate that we are living in such politically turbulent times. What played out in Rivers State on Saturday can only be described as unprecedented political manoeuvring — a sham that amounts to a democratic scam,” he said.
Epelle maintained that “everything about the election was totally illegal and unconstitutional,” insisting that the results did not reflect the will of the people.
He further commended residents, particularly youths, for refusing to be provoked into violence despite what he called a blatant disregard for democratic principles.
“The people of Rivers State are smart and civilised. They probably expected protests or unrest, but I urged the good youths of Rivers not to fall into their trap. What happened was an absolute slap in the face of democracy, and we cannot continue like this,” Epelle added.
Warning of looming legal battles, the rights advocate said the polls had already set the stage for a constitutional crisis in the state, as their legitimacy would inevitably be challenged in court.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) had declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) winners in 20 of the 23 local government areas, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched victory in three.
