- By Kamil Opeyemi
A former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata has made his intention known to contest the Edo state governorship election on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).
He declared his interest in the 2024 exercise during a visit to the Edo State Secretariat of the party in Benin City on Thursday.
The ex-NBA president said he decided to contest the election on the platform of LP because it is the only people-oriented political party adding that he has the experience and the capacity to lead the people of Edo state.
“My interest is for the people of Edo State. And what I find in politics and governance in Nigeria today is that the people have been taken out of the equation. Nobody seems to care about the people,” he said during the event.
“And when I look around, the only party I find to be people-centric and people-oriented and to be interested in the lots of our people is the Labour Party. It is therefore fitting that it is with this party that I have come to pitch my tent and it is on the platform of this party that I would like to run for the governor of Edo State,” he said
Akpata promised to take the LP to greater heights if elected as the candidate of the party in the primary election.
His moves came about two months after he joined the LP, saying he wanted to be a part of the solutions to the state’s challenges.
“Quite a number of people have called/messaged me to confirm the news, currently making the rounds, that I have joined a political party.
“Yes…I joined the @labourparty_ng in March this year and on Sunday I attended my first Ward Meeting at Oredo Ward 6, in Benin City, where I was formally introduced to members of the Ward and presented with my Party membership card.
“This was a major step for me and not one that I took lightly…but
I simply got tired of complaining about Nigeria every day and bemoaning her fate and I decided to take the plunge and try to be part of the solution rather than agonising continually over the problem.
“This, for me, is the start of a very important journey and it is my prayer that I arrive safely at my destination,” he had said
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed September 21, 2024, for the conduct of the governorship election in Edo.