He said winning the LP ticket is a “heavyweight” on his shoulder.


Olumide Akpata, the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Edo State.


Mr Akpata scored 316 votes to win the LP governorship primary election in Benin City, Edo State, on Friday, according to a report by Channels TV.


Channels TV reported that the Deputy Governor of Abia State Ikechukwu Emeta, who was the chief returning officer for the election, declared Mr Akpata as the winner of the election.


This is the first time the former NBA president is actively involved in politics, having joined the LP in August last year.


“I decided to take the plunge and to try to be part of the solution rather than agonising continually over the problem (of Nigeria),” Mr Akpata said in August when he joined the LP.


He said on Friday that winning the LP ticket is a “heavyweight” on his shoulder.


“LP is a people-centric party… The expectations are high on the part of the people,” he said.


Mr Akpata thanked his supporters and the LP members for their support and promised to work for the good of Edo if he wins in the September 2024 general election, according to Channels TV.


He reportedly paid tribute to a former governor of Ondo State and NBA president Rotimi Akeredolu whose burial coincided with the LP primary election.