PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – In a startling admission that has sent shockwaves through the nation’s political landscape, Chief Tony Okocha, the APC Chairman in Rivers State, has openly confessed to fabricating election results during his time in government.
Speaking with blunt transparency about his tenure as Chief of Staff to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Okocha revealed that local government elections in the state were often decided in his office long before a single vote was cast.
The “Handout” System
Okocha described a systematic process of electoral fraud where the will of the voters was bypassed entirely. According to his account, results were written within the walls of the Government House and then handed over to the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) to be read to the public as official tallies.
“When I served as Chief of Staff in Rivers State, we wrote election results and handed them over to the commission to announce,” Okocha stated, characterizing the commission’s role as merely delivering a “handout” from the ruling power.
The “Whistleblower” Defense
The confession has sparked immediate outrage, with many Nigerians calling for his prosecution. However, Okocha has doubled down on his statements, describing himself as a “whistleblower” who is exposing a broken system.
He argued that his past actions prove why state-controlled electoral commissions (SIECs) are inherently “skewed” and should be abolished. “I am telling you how it works so we can change it,” he remarked during a follow-up interview, insisting that his honesty should be praised rather than punished.
Political Fallout and 2027
The timing of the admission is particularly sensitive as Rivers State remains the epicenter of a high-stakes political feud between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Critics have pointed out the irony of a party leader admitting to subverting democracy while simultaneously vowing to lead the APC to a “clean” victory in the 2027 general elections.
While legal experts debate whether a self-confessed “rigger” can face retroactive charges, the revelation has added fuel to the growing movement demanding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) take over all local government polls to ensure transparency.
As of press time, the Rivers State Government has not issued an official response to the specific claims regarding the Government House’s past involvement in SIEC operations.
