Edo Guber: Akpata Emerges Labour Party Candidate, Okpebholo Wins APC Ticket

Former President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata has been elected candidate of the Labour Party (LP), for the 21 September 2024, governorship election in Edo State.

Also on Friday, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was declared winner of the Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) rescheduled direct primary election.

Akpata pooled 316 votes to defeat other aspirants. The declared result showed that Kenneth Imansuangbon scored seven votes; Prof. Sunday Eromosele also got seven votes while Sergius Ogun got four.

Speaking at the end of the election, the chief returning officer for the primary election and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetulu, noted that the outcome of the exercise was a true testimony that the LP represents truth, hard work and transparency.

Emetulu, who thanked the aspirants for showing the spirit of sportsmanship, also encouraged Akpata to be magnanimous in victory and carry other aspirants along.

In his acceptance speech, Akpata paid tribute to the late Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.

He spoke about Akeredolu’s trajectory, whom he described as his mentor and predecessor as national chairman of the NBA, promising to follow the late governor’s ideals if elected governor.

Akpata assured members of the party that he would unite the party ahead of the September election and solicited their support to make the dream of the LP occupying the Edo State Government House a reality.

Meanwhile, Okpebholo was declared as the winner of the Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) rescheduled direct primary election.

With this, the Senator representing Edo Central district in senate chambers, is now the candidate of APC in the governorship election.

The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, who was the Chairman of the primary held on Friday, made the declaration after collating the results from the 18 local government areas’ returning officers that cojducted the poll in the 192 wards of the state. The collation and declaration took place at Lushville Hotel and Suites, Gapiona Avenue, Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin City.

Okpebholo got 12,433 votes to defeat Dennis Idahosa, the member representing Ovia constituency in the House of Representatives, who scored 6,541 votes.

Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, had in the previous primary election, declared Idahosa winner at an election held at Protea Hotel.

Adibe Emenyonu and Chuks Okocha