A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Olumide Akpata has clinched the Labour Party (LP) ticket for the September 2024 governorship election in Edo State, South South Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that Akpata scored 316 votes to win the exercise held at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre, Airport Road in Benin City, Edo State capital.
The Deputy Governor of Abia State Ikechukwu Emeta who is also the returning officer for the election declared Akpata as the winner of the election.
His victory comes months after he declared interest in the Edo State governorship race under the Labour Party.
In October, he had visited the Edo LP secretariat in Benin City to formally declare his interest in the race, pinning the decision on his love for the people.
“My interest is for the people of Edo State. And what I find out about politics and governance in Nigeria today is that the people have been taken out of the equation. Nobody cares about the people,” Akpata told the mammoth crowd that welcomed him.
“So, when I look around, the only party I find to be people-oriented and interested in lots of our people is the Labour Party. So I have come here to express my interest and to carry the people along.”
In August, the corporate lawyer, 51, resigned from the law firm Templars where he served as a senior partner.
