Akpata: Obi made a difference in my campaign, his endorsement worth its weight in gold

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.