Edo PDP Denies Involvement In Alleged Attack On Labour Party Gov’Ship Candidate, Olumide Akpata

By Simeon OSAJIE

The Edo chapter of the People’s Democratic Party PDP has denied involvement in the alleged attack on the Labour Party governorship candidate Olumide Akpata at the Staff Club of the University of Benin recently as being circulated in an unsigned statement in the social media.

The Labour Party governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata was recently allegedly attacked at the University of Benin Staff Club. In a reaction, a leader of the party in Benin City had in a reaction through a viral video pointed accusing fingers at the PDP.

In a statement signed by the State Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Party, Dr. Patrick Ojebuobor and made available to the newsmen, the PDP notes that the party is a law abiding entity and obeys all the laws of the land.

The statement pointed out that the Labour Party is not a threat to the PDP in the September Edo State governorship election as all the remaining members of the party has joined the PDP fold.

“The PDP would have ignored the statement outright as it was neither signed by the Labour Party nor their governorship candidate, but decided to issue this clarification for the benefit of the unsuspecting members of the public.

“The PDP has no hand in the alleged purported attack on the Labour Party governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata (Esq) at the University of Benin as contained in the said unsigned statement.

“The PDP is a law abiding political party and have respect for and observe the rule of law in its entirety as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and other extant laws, rules and regulations in our statute books.

“The PDP which doesn’t believe in violence and thuggery does not have to resort to the use of unconventional means to tackle the Labour Party candidate or any of its opponents in the September Edo State governorship election as Labour Party is not in contention in the election.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Labour Party which has been on life support since the 2023 Edo State House of Assembly election has finally given up the ghost since His Excellency, Mr. Marvelous Godwins Omobayo, the Deputy Governor joined the PDP; carrying along with him the remaining vestige of the party and all the support groups”.

While describing the authors of the unsigned statement as idle minds masquerading supporters of the Labour Party governorship candidate to curry favour in the form of financial benefits, the statement urged them to explore employment opportunities in the Governor Godwin Obaseki led PDP administration and be engaged gainfully to secure their future.

“We state further that, that our candidate had an incident free outing at the University of Benin Staff Club recently does not mean that the PDP should be accused of complicity when any other group or individual is allegedly attacked at that same venue thereafter as the impostors circulation the fake statement wants the public to believe.

“The PDP urge these idle minds masquerading as supporters of governorship candidates of these mushroom parties to curry favour and daily bread to explore any of the numerous job opportunities provided by the Governor Godwin Obaseki led PDP administration in the state to be gainfully employed and stay away from the act of hero worshipping that will ruin their future.

“We urge the general public to disregard this unsubstantiated and jaundiced statement from these idle minds and throw it into the trash can which it rightly belongs”.