Olumide Akpata Speaks On Challenging Outcome Of Edo Governorship Election

Olumide Akpata

The 2024 gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in Edo State, Olumide Akpata has explained why he is yet to challenge the outcome of the just-concluded polls.

Akpata, who came a distant third in the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), however, maintained that the election was marred with a lot of irregularities.

Recalls that on Sunday, INEC declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the keenly contested poll.

Okpebholo got 291,667 votes to defeat the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes and Akpata, who came a distant third with 22,763 votes.

Speaking on the outcome of the polls during an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) expressed discontent with the final results and the process that produced Okpebholo.

On challenging the outcome of the polls in court, Akpata said his legal team are working on the next line of action, and his next move will be determined after consulting his team and the party.

“It is a decision that the Labour Party and I will have to take jointly whether or not we will challenge the outcome of the election.

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

“It is important for me to take a back seat and allow my lawyers based on the evidence that we have and the evidence that is still being collected to make the determination on my behalf,” he said.