In Nigeria where the ruling party almost always “magically” sweeps local elections, the Action People’s Party (APP) just pulled off an unexpected feat, securing 22 chairmanship positions out of 23 in the recently concluded Rivers State local government elections. The APP snatched nearly all the top spots in an election that, in true Nigerian fashion, might have been written off as a mere formality for the ruling party.
The results were announced by the Chief Election Officer of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Adolphus Enebeli, who confirmed the APP’s landslide victory in Port Harcourt on Saturday. In true Nigerian electoral style, the announcement for Etche Local Government Area was conveniently postponed because, according to Enebeli, collation of the results is still “ongoing.” Really?
Not to worry though, they promise us the results for Etche will be declared “alongside” those of the 319 councillorship seats at a later date. Now, we’re all used to the mysterious delays and “irregularities” in our electoral processes, but this one raises an eyebrow. After all, isn’t the ruling party supposed to be the default winner in such elections? Isn’t that how it usually goes in Nigeria?
In fact, local government elections in Nigeria are notorious for being tightly controlled by state governments. Governors often treat these elections as extensions of their influence, pulling the strings to ensure their chosen candidates prevail, regardless of what the ballot boxes say. So, is the APP really the new saviour of Rivers State politics, or are we just seeing the same old faces behind a new party logo?
Democracy, as practiced in Nigeria, often feels like a staged drama where the outcome is already known. The ruling party, or whatever political faction controls the state at the time, typically walks away with an easy victory, while the opposition remains on the fringes, barely visible. Yet, the APP’s near-clean sweep suggests that there might be more going on beneath the surface than we’re used to seeing.
