Edo Election: Olumide Akpata Denies Allegations of Secret Alliance with APC, Labels Claims as Desperate Smear Tactics
The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate for Edo State, Mr Olumide Akpata, has vehemently denied allegations of a secret alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently propagated the narrative.
The accusations have arisen as the September 21st gubernatorial election approaches, further intensifying the political atmosphere in the state.
In a strongly worded statement, Akpata dismissed the allegations as baseless and desperate attempts to tarnish his reputation.
He noted that the supposed evidence being circulated—two old photographs of him with the current Chief of Staff to the President, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila—were taken during his tenure as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 2020 and 2022 when Gbajabiamila was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Ordinarily, I would not dignify such obvious mudslinging with a response. However, the flood of calls and messages I have received from concerned citizens across Edo State and the country compels me to address this issue head-on and set the record straight,” Akpata stated.
He firmly refuted the claims, calling them the “fevered figments of imaginations” of those whose political influence is waning.
Akpata highlighted the absurdity of the accusations, pointing out the contradictory nature of the claims.
“The APC has labelled me a mole who is being funded by Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP. Now, in a rather bizarre display of political acrobatics, the PDP also claims that I am in cahoots with the APC to ‘divide votes.’ One must wonder and indeed laugh at this unfolding spectacle. How can I possibly be ‘working’ for both sides simultaneously?” he questioned.
Akpata was unequivocal in his rejection of any affiliations with the APC or the PDP, labelling both parties as “two fingers of the same leprous hand” that have long mismanaged Edo State.
He described himself as a candidate of the people, not influenced by political godfathers or backroom deals, but driven by the genuine aspirations of hardworking Edolites who are tired of the status quo.
“The overwhelming support we have received from every corner of our State is not a testament to any backroom deals or secret alliances. Rather, it is a resounding clarion call, a clear indication of our people’s burning desire for genuine change,” Akpata emphasized.
He accused those behind the accusations of underestimating the intelligence of Edo voters, who he believes are more discerning and wise to such tactics.
Akpata’s response also reflected his confidence in the upcoming election, urging Edo voters to see through the “political smear campaigns” and recognize the opportunity for transformative change.
“Come September 21st, with your support and your votes, we will prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that the true power in our democracy lies with the people, not with political desperados clinging to the vanishing vestiges of a dying order,” he concluded.
In a related development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 177,914 people have recently registered to vote in the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
The commission’s latest figures reveal that Edo State has recorded 119,206 new voters, while Ondo State has seen 58,708 new registrants.
The announcement was made in a statement by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee recently.
