Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, has sharply criticized the emergence of candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the upcoming local government elections in Rivers State, describing the process as orchestrated, deceptive, and morally bankrupt.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Epelle said the electoral process was deliberately manipulated to mislead the public, suggesting that the candidates were carefully hidden and are now being “served” to the people under false pretenses.
“This emergence is just orchestrated,” he said. “They were submerged or hidden by them only for them to emerge right now. And the mixture of PDP and APC candidates is like a concoction that is going to be served to the innocent people of Rivers State.”
Epelle accused political actors of attempting to polish a deeply flawed process, saying, “They are trying to make a bad process and a bad product look good. You can’t make a bad apple look good. It’s not going to happen.”
He alleged that the list of candidates reflects loyalty to power blocs rather than public service, claiming that individuals with no moral or intellectual qualification are being rewarded with office.
“This is just an opportunity to siphon our resources,” he added. “What is at play is our democracy. Those loyal to the FCT minister and this administration’s agenda have been compensated—not because they want to serve, but because they want access.”
Epelle also challenged former local government chairmen to make their performance records public, expressing concern over accountability and transparency in governance at the grassroots level.
Further questioning the legitimacy of the entire process, he said: “Everything about this election has failed the legality test, the morality test, and the test of common sense. I have very little faith in the judicial processes and the judiciary itself.”
Despite his strong criticism, Epelle urged residents of Rivers State to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands.
“This is not the time to be unlawful,” he said. “Let’s trust divine intervention, and if possible, judicial intervention. But as it stands, I don’t believe this election is inclusive or credible.”
