Olumide Akpata yesterday, stunned observers by recording a landslide victory to emerge as the Governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Edo State. Since the result of the election was announced, stunned analysts have been trying to come to terms with the shocking defeat of other more politically experienced aspirants.
The Explainer learnt that with the political antecedents of opponents such as Kenneth Imasougbon, not many expected the former NBA President to coast home to victory in the decisive manner that he did. Shockingly, Akpata secured 316 votes out of the 334 valid votes cast at the party’s primary election held 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, I urged the aspirants to work together for the success of the party in the forthcoming governorship election,” Emetulu said.
In his acceptance speech, the surprised winner of the Labour Party Governorship ticket, Akpata appealed to the members of the LP to rally behind him. He also called on the party faithful in the state to take the encouragement from his victory in the primaries to prepare the party for victory in the September 21, 2024 Governorship poll in Edo State. Akpata reiterated his readiness to work for the transformation of Edo State, with the goal of making it a model of development and prosperity.
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.” Edo State was one of the strongholds of the Labour Party during the 2023 Presidential election. A lot of the social media influencers and activists who energized the Presidential Campaign of Peter Obi hail from the State. Close political watchers have noted that Akpata reached out to this youthful party faithful in the build up to the primary. It is like that connecting with that base of the party, put him in pole position to clinch the Labour ticket.
