Olumide Akpata, the leader of the Labour Party and a candidate for governor of Edo State, has denied any role in the demonstration last Sunday that saw Julius Abure, the party’s national chairman, attacked by enraged party members.
Akpata pleaded with the party’s officials and members to exclude him and his followers from the demonstration that was held at the party’s Benin City secretariat.
Reporters learned that hundreds of party members—mostly young people—demonstrated against the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure, on Sunday due to his purported endorsement of some candidates before to the party’s governorship primary.
It was discovered that the demonstrators who stormed the party secretariat charged him with betraying his word and forbidding him from chairing the primary.
But security personnel had to step in to stop the angry young people from entering the secretariat building.
Akpata said he had no history of supporting violence and was not known for it during a news conference on Tuesday in Benin City.
The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, or NBA, asserted that any association with the demonstration was intended to damage his reputation, undermine his moral character, and undermine his political appeal.
He claimed that the accusations and rumors were originating from those inside the Labour Party who are against him becoming the party’s nominee for governor in the primary elections scheduled for February 22, 2024.
I’ve learned that there was a protest that allegedly became violent on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at the Labour Party State Secretariat in Benin City, Edo State.
“I want to be very clear and say that I am not aware of this protest at all, nor have I given it any kind of approval or support.
Mischievously, there have been rumors and insinuations that these demonstrators are doing my bidding. These are completely untrue, unjustified, and ludicrous.
“I want to be clear that none of us—my campaign organization, my supporters, and my well-wishers—engage in, support, or condone violence or other unhealthy behavior of any kind,” he declared.
Akpaka stated that the baseless accusations are the work of evil minds. He further mentioned that he was purportedly involved in the violent attack on the party’s previous National Youth Leader in Benin City last year.
He stated that the offenders want to unjustly and permanently damage his hard-earned name, image, and growing popularity as the leading candidate of choice for governor within the Edo Labour Party.
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