Former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Olumide Akpata has been elected the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) ahead of the September election in Edo State.
At the primary held in Benin City, Edo State capital on Friday, Abia State Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emeta said Akpata scored 316 votes to win the election.
“I hereby declare as follows: Mr Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, having scored the highest number of votes and certified the provisions of the constitution of the party, is hereby declared the winner and the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party for the Edo State governorship election 2024,” Emeta, the chief returning officer for the election, said.
In his victory speech, Akpata paid tribute to a former governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu who was buried on the same day.
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He also thanked his supporters and members of the party for their backing, promising to work for the good of the state if he wins the governorship election.
The 51-year-old resigned from the law firm Templars in August 2023, where was a senior partner, to go into politics.
That same month, he joined the LP, saying he wanted to play a more active part in the country’s political process.
Before his victory at the primary, Akpata denied being sponsored by Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, a PDP member.
