By 9jaeye 
Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party governorship candidate in the September 21 Edo State gubernatorial election, has officially announced that he will not contest the election results. Akpata, who finished third with 22,763 votes, trailed behind All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Monday Okpebholo, who won with 291,667 votes, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes. Despite identifying irregularities during the election, Akpata made it clear that his decision is not a sign of compromise but rather a strategic move. Instead, he intends to shift focus toward pushing for systemic reforms within Nigeria’s electoral process.
Furthermore, Akpata acknowledged the issues that marred the election, such as widespread vote-buying and questionable collation procedures. In addition, he emphasized that pursuing a long legal battle to contest the results would only legitimize a broken system. “This moment calls for a paradigm shift in how we approach electoral reform,” Akpata remarked. Moreover, he expressed his determination to champion reforms that will address these challenges and prevent future electoral malpractice.
Moving Beyond the Tribunal
Olumide Akpata, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), highlighted several key challenges that influenced his decision. For example, he noted the high burden on petitioners and the difficulty in accessing electoral materials controlled by INEC. These obstacles, Akpata explained, make it impractical to pursue the case through legal channels. Meanwhile, he also reaffirmed his integrity by dismissing claims of a hidden alliance with the APC as baseless.
Advocating for Systemic Reforms
Looking ahead, Akpata plans to concentrate on mobilizing grassroots support and driving advocacy efforts aimed at electoral reform. His broader goal is to build a strong, vibrant opposition in Edo State while advocating for a more transparent and accountable democratic process throughout Nigeria. Consequently, he urged his supporters to remain engaged and vigilant, emphasizing that the battle for a better democracy extends far beyond the outcome of a single election. Akpata remains committed to pushing for a fairer and more just political system in the country.
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