It's going to take more than one election - Akpata vows to contest again

Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party flag-bearer in the just concluded Edo governorship election has said he won't give up on his ambition to govern the South-South State, noting that it will take more than one election attempt to achieve that.

Akpata, a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, made this known while reviewing the governorship contest on Channels Television's Politics Today on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.

On Saturday, September 21, 2024, Edo residents went to the poll to elect a would-be successor to the incumbent, Governor Godwin Obaseki.

After a hard-fought contest, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Monday Okpebholo as the winner with the Labour Party candidate finishing a distant third.

During the interview, Akpata argued that vote buying, voter apathy and mayhem characterised the election and affected his chances of winning.

However, the former NBA President remains unshaken by the experience and vowed to make another attempt for the coveted office in future elections.

“I have said it over and over again. We are here to fix Nigeria and Edo State. We joined hands with like-minded people to ensure that we fix our country and my state.

“I am here speaking to you that I am ready to continue with this. I want to be able to tell my grandchildren what I did when Nigeria was at this difficult time. So, it’s going to take more than one election,'' he stated.

Akpata also said he'll meet with his lawyers to decide whether or not he'll be challenging the outcome of the Saturday governorship election in Edo State.

“I have the benefit of seeing this as an insider, and a practitioner within the justice sector. It is a decision that the Labour Party and I have to take jointly on whether or not we will challenge the outcome of the election.

“I am going to be meeting with my lawyers and the Labour Party will also be meeting with its lawyers. Then we will come to a decision whether or not we will be challenging the outcome of the election,” Akpata added.