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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and governorship aspirant of the Labour Party in Edo State Olumide Akpata has rejected all insinuations and rumours linking him or his supporters to the purported protest which took place at the party secretariat in Benin City last Sunday.
Addressing journalists in Benin, Akpata stated that he remained focused and steadfast in pursuit of his gubernatorial aspirations in a lawful and peaceful manner, upholding the principles of tolerance and justice.
He said it came to his attention that there was a protest at the Labour Party State Secretariat in Benin City, Edo State, which allegedly turned violent, adding “I want to clearly and unequivocally state that I have absolutely no knowledge of this protest, nor have I sanctioned or approved it in any way. The baseless rumours and insinuations that have been mischievously circulated that these protesters are carrying out my bidding are totally false, unfounded, and quite frankly ridiculous”.
He said as a loyal, dedicated member of the Labour Party who has invested significant time, energy, and resources towards building and strengthening the Party across Edo State since he joined, it was both laughable and utterly despicable that he would be linked to any kind of violent protest at the Party’s secretariat.
“It is very likely that these bogus allegations and rumours are emanating from certain quarters within and even outside the Labour Party that are opposed to my emerging as the Labour Party’s gubernatorial flag-bearer in the upcoming February 22, 2024, primary elections. In their desperation, they have resorted to underhanded tactics and smear campaigns to undermine my widespread credibility, acceptability, and support base within and outside the Party in Edo State and across the country. Amusingly, this is quite similar to an earlier campaign of calumny that sought to link me to acts of violence meted out against a former National Youth Leader of the Party in Benin City. This is yet another ludicrous attempt to unjustly give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
“I want to categorically state that I, my campaign organisation, supporters, and well-wishers do not engage in, encourage, or sanction any kind of violence or unwholesome conduct. These puerile allegations are the products of malicious minds that are aimed at unfairly and irreparably tarnishing my hard-earned reputation, image, and rising popularity as a foremost gubernatorial aspirant of choice within the Labour Party in Edo State.
“The good and discerning people of Edo State and Nigerians at large know what I stand for. They know my antecedents and that my track record is one of integrity, maturity, and excellence. As such, these attempts to unjustly smear my character by linking me to acts I have no knowledge of or involvement in will certainly fail”, the LP governorship aspirant said.
Akpata further stated that as a lawyer of more than 30 years, he fully understand that peaceful protest is the fundamental right of every Nigerian citizen, guaranteed by the constitution and upheld by the courts of the land, adding that Law-abiding citizens have a right to freely associate and to protest, provided that this is done peacefully and legally without threatening lives or property.
He, however, advised that if any person has acted unlawfully in the course of the alleged protest, they be promptly reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for proper investigation and possible prosecution as provided by laws of the country.
Fielding questions from journalists, Akpata rejected the toga that he was Obaseki’s agent in Labour Party, saying that those who are uncomfortable with his ambition have devised that to get him out of the race.
“What message will Obaseki send me, the roads he failed to build, the schools he did not build or the health centres they failed to build?
“Governor Obaseki and PDP have not done well in the way they ran Edo State, that is why I came to say am a better option. Ever since I showed up, people within and outside the party have been uncomfortable. My aspiration does not sit well with them”.
Akpata told journalists that he believes in the LP to conduct free and fair primary having received feedback from what happened in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States, just as he assured he would remain in and build the party irrespective of the outcome of his aspiration, saying that “LP is a people-centric party and I am in politics because of the people.”
