Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, has won the Labour Party (LP) ticket for the Edo State governorship election slated for September 21, 2024.
Akpata secured 316 votes out of the 334 valid votes cast at the party’s primary election held on Tuesday in Benin City, the state capital.
His closest rivals, Kenneth Imansuangbon, and Prof. Sunday Eromosele, both polled seven votes each, while Sergius Ogun got four votes.
The deputy governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetulu, who served as the chief returning officer for the primary election, declared Akpata as the winner and praised the conduct of the exercise.
“The primary election was a demonstration of the LP’s commitment to truth, hard work, and transparency, and urged the aspirants to work together for the success of the party in the forthcoming governorship election,” Emetulu said.
In his acceptance speech, Akpata appealed to the members of the LP to rally behind him and support his vision of transforming Edo State into a model of development and prosperity.
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Parts of his speech read: “I am humbled and honoured by your overwhelming endorsement as the LP candidate for the Edo State governorship election. This is a great responsibility that I do not take lightly. I assure you that I will not let you down.
“I dedicate this victory to the memory of our late leader and friend, Rotimi Akeredolu, who was a shining example of what a lawyer and a politician should be. He was my mentor and my predecessor as the national chairman of the NBA, and I learned a lot from him. I will continue to uphold his legacy and his vision for a better Nigeria.
“My fellow LP members, this is the time to unite and work together for the common good of our state. We have a historic opportunity to make a difference and change the narrative of Edo State. We have a clear agenda to improve the lives of our people through quality education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and job creation.
“I urge you to join me in this journey and support me with your prayers, your ideas and your votes. Together, we can make Edo State the heartbeat of the nation.”
