By Austin Ogwuda
IMMEDIATE past President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA , Olumide Akpata, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, says the Labour Party is set to cause upsets in the coming local government elections in Edo State.
Edo-born Akpata, who is warming up to run for governorship race under the ticket of the Labour Party in Edo State, next year, said that Labour Party is throwing all its weight behind the local government polls as the outcome will certainly further enhance their chances at that of the governorship election.
Although Akpata had not officially made his intention known to run Edo gubernatorial race, he however did not deny nursing the ambition when cornered by a Reporter.
He was speaking at Channels Television programme tagged ‘Sunday Politics’ which was anchored by Terry Ikumi on Sunday night and monitored by The Town Hall Media.
According to him “our (LP) success in guber will flow from how well we do in the local government elections coming up on the 2nd of September 2023”.
Asked if he was not worried about the perception of people that ruling parties usually sweep local government elections, Akpata responded thus:
“Look it is not going to be business as usual because the political landscape in Nigeria has been radically altered and for good.
“We (Labour Party) are taking this forthcoming local government elections very seriously. We are knocking at the doors, out on the streets. We are throwing in all.
“Labour Party is not resting on its oars. We are not just saying, oh, because we did well at the presidential poll we sit down and expect that things will work themselves out.
“We are fielding candidates for each of the 192 councillorship seats and 18 chairmanship seats.
“Since 1999 beginning of this political dispensation
there hadn’t not been local government administration for about 8 years and most of the ones held as you asked were purportedly swept by the very party in power at the given time.
“But we are not giving up. Why are we taking the local government elections very seriously not only that the outcome will boost our chances at the next year’s governorship. Another key reason is that Labour Party is pro-people. We are very keen to ensure that we get governance close to the people as possible. If others don’t find the local government elections important we definitely do.
“It is actually quite a paradox that local election that is most important; that is the third tier of government, closest to the people attracts little or no fanfare.
“Take education, primary health care, markets even infrastructure – that is the responsibility of the local government.
“These are the issues that touch what we call the common man; issues that have direct bearing on his or her life.
So it is important that whoever is superintending that level of governance we should pay closer attention about who emerges”, he further stated.