Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in 2023, Peter Obi, has encouraged Edo citizens to vote for the LP flagbearer, Olumide Akpata.
Obi spoke while addressing the massive crowd in Benin, the capital of Edo State, as he joined the campaign train of the Labour Party candidate, Akpata.
The election is scheduled to hold on Saturday September 21.
Speaking at various campaign points during the road show, Obi urged eligible voters in Edo to turn out en masse and support the party and its candidate.
He added that Olumide Akpata would bring the much-needed change to move Edo forward.
Earlier, Akpata described the upcoming election as “freedom day” for Edo people, urging them to vote for the Labour Party.
“There’s been too much quarrel. Everyone should do their homework. Today’s unity turnout was massive, and we are confident of victory,” Akpata remarked.
He emphasised that his aim in joining the Labour Party was not to resolve disputes but to secure victory on September 21.
“Labour Party is the winning party, and we are not here to fight. We are here to win the election,” he concluded.
Out of the 17 political parties contesting, analysts believe that only the APC, PDP, and LP have significant chances of success.
However, the LP’s presence in the campaign had been notably absent, especially in comparison to its counterparts.
Internal divisions within the party’s state chapter have exacerbated the situation. One faction is loyal to embattled National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, with former Edo House of Assembly Speaker, Elizabeth Ativie, serving as its chair. Meanwhile, another faction, led by Barrister Kelly Ogbaloi, includes the LP governorship candidate, Akpata.
The internal crisis dates back to May, when the party’s state executive, under Ogbaloi’s leadership, ratified the suspension of National Chairman Abure. In response, Abure, via the National Working Committee, dissolved the Ogbaloi-led executive and replaced it with a caretaker committee headed by Ativie.
At the national level, the LP is also embroiled in controversy.
Abure’s position as chairman is in doubt as a caretaker committee led by Mrs. Nnenadi Usman has taken over. The caretaker committee was put together last week by the party’s sole governor, Dr. Alex Otti of Abia State, and Obi as tensions over Abure’s chairmanship continued to grow.
Political observers are thus concerned that these internal conflicts, both at the state and national levels, may significantly weaken the LP’s chances in the upcoming election.
