…Says I never granted interview to any journalist as far as the situation is concerned
…Akpata is my candidate, his business is my business; is the business of LP – Ogbaloi
By Simeon OSAJIE
Chairman of the Edo State chapter of Labour Party (LP), Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi has debunked a statement credited to him by some online newspapers that the LP governorship candidate in the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election, Barr. Olumide Akpata’s invitation to the Uniben Staff Club was a private affair, which had nothing to do with the party.
Comrade Ogbaloi disclosed this in an interview with The9JaTREND today, 20th April, 2024 at the party’s secretariat in Benin City, Edo State capital.
Ogbaloi, showing bitterness and disappointment over the alleged comment, said I didn’t take any interview with any journalist at all.
“Well, let me say clearly that I didn’t take any interview with any journalist at all. It’s the fact that when the incident happened, few persons spoke to me who were not described as journalists; and at no time did I position myself in an interview in that respect and so I did mention to them ‘yes, I’m invited by the police.’
“But it shows some resentment when I said that the police have over escalated the issue by inviting me in my person. I mentioned that to the individual who spoke with me and that my candidate, Barr. Olumide Akpata was in uniben to honour invitation but however, I was not there with him at that particular time, and that is not to say that we are saying that or I was saying that the issue was out rightly a personal matter of our candidate.
While emphasizing that today, Barr. Olumide Akpata is the candidate of Edo LP Party, Comrade Ogbaloi noted: “Whatever concerns Akpata concerns Labour Party (LP). We take his duties and he takes our duty, we are intertwined. And so if he had gone to uniben, it is not completely disconnected from his personality and the personality of Labour Party. And for me to be quoted as saying that it was a personal issue, which have nothing to do with Labour Party is not my statements and I want to make that very clear.
“And to that extent, I have not granted an interview on this matter for me to be quoted as it is in that piece of news which is regrettable and I hereby debunk that, and that I wouldn’t further have said in such situation when of course people will go out and put things down when no interview was appropriately conducted.
“Well, in conclusion, yes, I am amenable to go to the police station and I have made it clear to the police that I will be coming. In fact when the letters came I was not in Benin City. So there was no way I could instantly have responded to the police and besides that, I also needed to put my candidate Barr. Olumide Akpata on notice that I have gotten this letter, so that both of us will look at it together and visit the police.
“Of course it is concluded that we shall be with the police, say about 2.00p.m on Monday when of course is around time. So that piece of news is regretted and I hope that journalists must make themselves extremely professional in taking interview from people. That particular piece of news is not coming from me since I did not take interview on it, okay.
“To my teeming supporters and those who must have read that piece of news, I’m here to reconstruct that position to say that, that was not my statement; that news was never coming from me. Akpata is my candidate, his business today is my business, and it is as well the business of the party. I will drive to all logical conclusions what will enthrone him as the next governor of Edo State. I want to make that clear, and I’m further to say that those who insinuate that there is a disconnect between the candidate and the party are day dreaming, and I make bold to say that such thoughts only exist in figment of their imagination. We are one indivisible entity and we’re moving together to the task of Labour Party taking over to produce the next government of Edo State.”
