Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party’s (LP) governorship candidate in Edo State’s recent gubernatorial election, has stated that he will not contest the election results.
CREEBHILLS reports that Akpata finished third in the poll with 22, 763 votes.
He was defeated by Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, who received 291,667 votes, defeating the PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who received 247,274.
Akpata announced on Saturday, three weeks after the contest, that he will not move the Tribunal, despite noting irregularities and electoral malpractice.
“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.
