Edo State Labour Party (LP) governorship aspirant, Olumide Akpata, has declared he has no regrets whatsoever joining the party.
Akpata made the declaration, yesterday, during discussions on the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State with Arise TV’s The Morning Show crew.
Responding to the issue of what attraction LP holds for him as against other parties, despite recent challenges being faced by the party, including complaints about high cost of nomination forms, allegations of corruption in the Abure-led party, among others, Akpata said he is confident the party is the right platform for the achievement of his vision of bringing true governance to the people.
He said: “I was looking for a party that will help bring the people back into the equation. In politics and governance today in Nigeria, people have been removed from the equation. It is no longer about the people. That is why I have stepped up. And when I looked around, the only platform that commended itself to me, the only party that seemed to be interested in what the people want, is Labour Party.
“I think now, more than ever before, LP is the only party interested in the lot of the Nigerian people and that is why I have no hesitation at all in joining the party because it has to be about the people and what they require.”
Speaking of the challenges confronting the party and possible solutions, Akpata said the party, just like every other human organization, has its fair share of imperfections.
He, however, said the party has internal mechanisms to sort things out, adding: “My consolation is that this is the party Peter Obi belongs to. If there is anything we know about him, it is that he makes sure the right is done. I think at the end of the day, being the party Obi belongs to, the right things will be done, and we will overcome whatever bumps there are on our path to success.”
On what his chances look like with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) being the incumbent, he said: “I don’t think PDP has ever had it so bad as far as its political fortunes are concerned, particularly in Edo State.
“If you do a poll now, you will find out they are at the lowest ebb ever in Edo State. Edo continues to be the hotbed of LP and the people are so eager to see the back of PDP; to see them leave very quickly because they have been in bad hands for a couple of years.
“Governance in Edo State as defined by PDP is governance by helicopter, literally and figuratively. Literally, I mean the governor flies to parts of the state in a helicopter because the roads are so bad, and he cannot get anywhere on time by road. For me, that speaks volumes. It is very disgraceful.
“Figuratively, I mean when you have a government whose policies and the people are so far apart. One attribute that is required in governance is empathy, compassion. Once that is removed, you really cannot have governance.”