Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate
in Edo, says Peter Obi‘s endorsement of his candidacy is “worth its weight in
gold”.
Akpata spoke in an interview on Arise Television on
Thursday.
The Edo governorship election is billed for September 21.
On Wednesday, Obi implored the Edo electorate to vote Akpata
as their next governor. He added that if elected, the former president of the
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) would deliver the needed change.
The LP governorship candidate said Obi has made a difference
in his campaign.
“Peter Obi is making a whole lot of difference because he is
one individual that people trust. People trust him because his word is his
bond,” he said.
“People trust Peter Obi because he’s a performer and so his
endorsement of my candidacy is worth its weight in gold and so I make no bones
about it.
“I will not hesitate
to take advantage of the fact that he supports me and those of you who know
Obi, he will only associate with a candidate he has confidence in, every
confidence in his or her abilities.
“So I’m fortunate, I’m privileged that he’s willing to stand
shoulder to shoulder with me on the podium, on various podiums across the
state.
“We have been to all three senatorial zones together. He has
been very, very magnanimous with his time and with his energy and he has
brought that to bear on the campaign process.
“The people are definitely, definitely encouraged by his
presence. It gives them reason to believe again. It gives them hope again.”
LOGISTICS CONCERN
Akpata asked the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) to conduct a credible poll.
“Now with regard to the umpire, the regulator INEC, I am
hopeful because there are certain peculiar factors that lend themselves to this
process that will hopefully bring about a positive outcome,” he said.
“Firstly, it’s an off-cycle election. So in that regard, we
are fortunate and privileged to have the undivided attention of INEC in this
state so they can bring together their entire machinery on the process.
“But having said
that, I am so concerned because I bother about capacity issues. Right now we’ve
heard rumors of that some of the actors are already fighting it out at the INEC
centre somewhere in Benin City.
“I’m yet to confirm that. I just read a newsflash that some
hoodlums have carted away sensitive materials. Again, yet to confirm that.
“But I am concerned
about capacity. I am concerned about the fact that the terrain… I have been
around Edo state about five times in this process.
“The roads are in a very deplorable stage, I just wonder to
myself, how can INEC manage to get around in these conditions? I just returned
from the riverine areas of Edo state.
“I wonder to myself, is
the regulator able to access this? Will people not be disenfranchised? You just
need to see the conditions of our roads.
“I just returned to Benin from Irrua. It is so difficult to
get around. So I am very worried about the logistics of this process.
“So, as you can
imagine, we will continue to engage with the operators. We will continue to
interrogate the system.”
Akpata added that his party is ready for the election.
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