The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appreciated the people of Rivers State following the party’s victory in the recent local government elections.

The ruling APC had secured 20 out of the 23 chairmanship seats in the election conducted last Saturday.

In a statement on Monday, APC national publicity secretary Felix Morka said the victory affirmed the people-oriented governance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) expresses its profound appreciation to the good people of Rivers State for their overwhelming support in Saturday’s local government elections, with our great party winning 20 out of the 23 contested chairmanship seats across the state,” the statement read.

“This victory is yet another unmistakable indication of strong confidence of the people in the APC-led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and its flagship Renewed Hope Agenda to continue to deliver transformative and people-oriented governance at all levels in our country.”

The ruling party commended INEC in the state for the peaceful conduct of the poll, urging elected officers to deliver meaningful governance outcomes for the common good of all.

APC’s victory had drawn criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who described the poll as “awful absurdity and a travesty to the very notion of elective democracy”.

However, the party dismissed Mr Abubakar’s criticism as incendiary and irresponsible, accusing him of attempting to stoke tension over the poll.

”Our great party categorically rejects the incendiary and highly irresponsible allegations of foul play hurled by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the Rivers State local government elections. Atiku’s tirade is no more than a smokescreen meant to distract the public from another miserable no-show record of his African Democratic Congress (ADC), and an attempt to stoke tension and strife over the Rivers local government election,” the statement said.

It added, “We trust Rivers people to reject Atiku’s incitement to strife and instability as an unwise counsel of a forlorn serial presidential contender.”