A political analyst, Dr. Sani Abubakar, has raised concerns about the political situation in Rivers State and its wider effect on Nigeria’s democracy, as reported by Daily Post on Monday, 8 September, 2025.
Speaking in an interview, he said the recent local government elections in the state had exposed serious flaws in the electoral process.
Abubakar expressed fear for both President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He said their actions may win them temporary political advantage but warned that posterity would not be kind to them.
He explained that Nigerians are aware that the system is deeply flawed.
According to him, many people see what is wrong but lack the courage to speak out.
He noted that most citizens have chosen to look the other way, allowing irregularities to pass without resistance.
The analyst warned that such silence will not last forever.
He said a time would come when Nigerians will give their verdict, and those who manipulated the system would face judgment from history.
Abubakar said the Rivers elections serve as a dangerous signal for the 2027 general elections.
He stressed that the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy is at stake if political leaders continue to prioritise power over fairness.
He added that voter confidence is already weakening, and many Nigerians may stop believing that elections matter.
He further noted that public trust in the institutions of government, including the judiciary, has declined.
He argued that when citizens lose faith in the system, it creates room for anger, disillusionment, and future instability.
While acknowledging that Tinubu and Wike may see the outcome of the Rivers polls as a political win, Abubakar said the long-term damage could be greater than the short-term gains.
He insisted that history would eventually judge them harshly if they fail to protect democratic values.
According to him, democracy should be about fairness, transparency, and the will of the people, but what played out in Rivers was the opposite.
“I’m scared for President Tinubu, as well as Wike because I don’t know, posterity will not be kind to them. One day, Nigerians will give out their verdict. Many people know that the system is wrong, but they don’t have the courage to come out and condemn it, and everybody is trying to look the other way,” he said.
