The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the recent Edo State gubernatorial election, Olumide Akpata, has said he will not challenge the outcome of the election.
Sunday Telegraph recalls that Akpata, a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) emerged third with 22, 763 votes in the election.
He lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC), candidate, Monday Okpebholo, who raked in 291,667 votes to defeat the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, who came second with 247,274 votes.
Three weeks after the contest, Akpata while speaking on Saturday, October 12, said he wouldn’t approach the Tribunal, despite citing irregularities and electoral malpractice in the exercise.
“My decision not to contest the election results at the tribunal is not an indication of compromise; rather, it is a strategic move aimed at redirecting our energies towards systemic changes that our democracy desperately needs.
“This moment calls for a paradigm shift in our approach to electoral reform. We cannot continue to operate within a system that incentivises manipulation and disenfranchisement,” he said.