- * Congratulates Akpata, Other Aspirants
By Kingsley Eghagha (Politics Reporter)
Embattled Labour Party (LP) National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, has commended delegates of the party for ensuring a peaceful and successful governorship primary for the Edo state gubernatorial election slated for September this year in which a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Barrister Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata emerged winner on Friday.
Abure also congratulated Akpata and the other contestants and called on the unsuccessful aspirants to eschew bitterness and immediately collapse their political structures and work for the candidature of Akpata to enable the party secure victory at the poll.
In a statement personally signed by the National Chairman on Saturday, February 24, 2024, Abure said that the match to Dennis Osadebey Avenue's Government House in Benin City, Edo state can only be possible if the party leaders and stakeholders unite to defy the usual post election crisis.
Abure said, "I want to congratulate the Labour Party for having a free, fair and seamless primaries. You recall that I had always called and stood for a free, fair and credible elections and that is what has played out in our primaries.
"I therefore want to congratulate the winner of the primary election, Barrister Olumide Akpata for recording the highest number of votes which made him the candidate of the party. I want to assure him of all our support to ensure that we win the governorship election in September, 2024. We will not rest on our oars until that is achieved.
"We believe that Edo state at this point in time needs the best of the bests to man the Osadebey Avenue and today, Labour Party has selected one of its bests as the candidate of the party. If you juxtapose him with all other candidates that have emerged from the other political parties, it is clear that he stands out. We therefore congratulate him and we all will work towards the success of his candidacy in governorship election.
"Primary election usually comes with a lot of tension, bickering, politicking and horse-trading, however, now that the primary is over and a candidate has emerged, I want to call on all Labour Party fateful, particularly, those who have lost at the primaries to team up with the candidate so that we can all work in unity and togetherness for the victory of the party.
"Whatever errors we have made or pains any party member may have suffered in the process of this party primaries, we want to call on all and sundry to put it behind them and let us all come together as a united family to work for the success of the party ahead of the election.
"We equally call on the candidate to be magnanimous in victory by reaching out to all aggrieved members of the party. He must realise that he needs the support of all party members to win the general election.
The new Labour Party candidate for the Edo state governorship election, Barrister Olumide Akpata, scored a total vote of 316 out of 340 Delegates votes to clinch the party's ticket on Friday.
While Akpata's challengers, Kenneth Imasuagbon and Sam Eromosele Eboh scored 7 votes each, Sergius Ogun scored 4 votes while both Abegbe Ernest Osabhuohien and Blessing Akele polled 3 votes each and Angela Enimien Aburime Asom and Loretta Oduware Ogboroko scored no vote at all. One of the aspirants, Prince Tom Tseghohi withdrew from the contest citing personal reasons.
The Chairman of the Primary Election Committee and the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Engr Emetu Ikechukwu who declared Akpata winner of the primary election, praised the aspirants for the maturity exhibited during the election. He pleaded with the aspirants to rally round the candidate to ensure that the party wins the September 2024 election.
In his acceptance message, Olumide Akpata appreciated the aspirants and pleaded for their cooperation for the coming election. He said that the victory was for the party and that a lot more work is needed to achieve positive result for the party and the state. He also said that he is in a hurry to occupy the Osadebe Avenue Government House as he intends to change the face of the state. NNL.
