Edo South Exodus: Consternation in Labour Party as Obidients and Labour Party members reject Akpata’s candidacy
The ancient city of Benin was swept with a gale of defections yesterday as a governorship aspirant of the Labour Party and prominent member of the ‘Obidient Movement’, Hon. Lucky Obiyan, called a press conference at Olive Place, Akenzua Road to announce that he and his followers would not be supporting the candidacy of the Labour Party candidate Barr. Olumide Akpata in the 2024 Edo Governorship Elections.
Hon. Obiyan hinged his decision on the just concluded “shady primaries” conducted by the leadership of the Labour Party in Edo State. According to Hon. Obiyan, he called the press conference because he believed that it was important to let the public know that the Obidient Movement does not belong to any political party.
“The Labour Party in Edo State has so far demonstrated every contradictory arrangement to what Obidients believe in; and that is why we have to urgently inform the people that they shouldn’t be misled. We have come to tell the Edo people and the Edos in diaspora that the Obidient Movement washes its hands like Pontius Pilate in the Bible clean from Edo Labour Party and its candidate Olumide Akpata!”.
Earlier that same day, another group called the Edo Obidient Movement met to issue a statement pledging loyalty to Peter Obi; but also condemned the failure of the Labour Party to position itself as a credible alternative to the PDP and the APC at their Edo Primaries.
Addressing journalists at the NUJ Secretariat in Benin City, the spokesman of the group Mr. Ikhuenbor Figo said that the Edo Obidient Movement was passing a vote of no confidence on the Edo LP governorship primaries process, the leadership of the Labour Party; and the governorship candidate of the Party Barr. Olumide Akpata.
“Labour Party conducted the worst primary election in Edo State. We witnessed a situation where some compromised party executives at the national, state, LGA and wards the openly and shamelessly traded the Party’s governorship ticket to the highest bidder”. Mr. Figo further alleged that the primaries were ’dollarized’ by a certain aspirant, who he claims compromised party executives with a rain of dollars to alter the delegates list and secure the party ticket. His group, he stated, totally rejected the process and the outcome; as the corruption of the exercise “by evil elements” went against everything Peter Obi and they as Obidients were known to stand for.
Barr. Olumide emerged as the Labour Party governorship candidate.
Mr. Figo pleaded with Peter Obi to intervene and rescue the Party ahead of the 2027 general elections; as he announced that the Edo Obidient Movement would be distancing themselves from the Edo Labour Party, the Party’s governorship candidate, and any activities sponsored by “moneybag politicians” in the name of the Obidient Movement.
Things then went from bad to worse for the Labour Party as 64 Obidient members and leaders of the Labour Party in Ward 3 Egor LGA defected from the Labour Party to align with Barr. Asue Ighodalo, the PDP’s governorship candidate. Led by Mr. Evans Lordwin Okunzuwa, the 64 decampees stated their decision was borne out of the need to ensure that good governance would be guaranteed by the next governor of Edo State.
“For this election we did not think about religion or other sentiments; all Obidients must tell ourselves the truth. If we look at the three candidates it is clear Dr. Asue Ighodalo is the best. That is why we have decided to join him because we know he is for the people”, Mr. Okunzuwa said.
Presenting the new PDP members with party cards, the Edo State Commissioner for Digital Economy, Science and Technology and renowned Obident Mr. Ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor stated that the defections would boost the strength and chances of the PDP in the upcoming elections. “We have the capacity to deliver”, he said “And we have the capacity to deliver because we have confidence in Asue Ighodalo”. Mr. Ifaluyi-Isibor was the convener of the PDP for Obi movement during the 2023 General Elections.
While some public affairs commentators opine that the rejection of Olumide Akpata by Edo-based Obidients may be due to the power rotation argument and the need for justice, equity, and fairness in the distribution of political power; the wave of defections may be connected to the leadership troubles and corruption scandals threatening to engulf the Labour Party. Daniel Bwala, former presidential spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign, recently made a shocking claim that ahead of 2027 Peter Obi and the Obidients were considering abandoning the Labour Party to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
