The Julius Abure’s led faction of the Labour Party, has accused party’s governorship candidate, in the just concluded Edo state gubernatorial poll, Olumide Akpata, of buying his way into the race.
The Abure’s faction slammed Akpata over his claim that the Independent Electoral Commission, rigged the election, to favor the All Progressive Congress.
Recall that Asue Ighodalo came second with 247,274 votes behind the APC candidate who scored 291,667 votes..
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Meanwhile, Akpata of the LP, came a distant third in the race with just 22,763 votes.
Reacting to the outcome of the election on Monday, the Edo Labour Party’s candidate, expressed disappointment with the conduct of the poll, and alleged manipulation.
Akpata said that powerful forces were expected to influence the election, but the real shock came from the electorates.
READ MORE: Edo Election: Damage You Caused Will Haunt Your Children – Peter Obi To INEC
However, the LP’s Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, in a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State, accused the former president of Nigerian Bar Association of rigging his way to emerge as the party’s flag bearer.
He said: “Olumide Akpata has no reason to complain about the election and buying of votes.
“Akpata bought all the Labour Party delegates during the primary to get the Labour Party ticket.
“He bought over the party structure, gave them vehicles. He even called police to harass those who pointed out the abnormality. He bought the National Working Committee over and took the ticket.”
“Whatever INEC does was correct. The problem with Nigerians and their leaders is that if anything doesn’t favour us, that thing is wrong, but if it favour us even when it’s wrong, we described it as the right thing.
“Today because they failed in Edo, INEC has done the wrong thing.”
