Olumide Akpata, has written INEC complaining of LP lack of preparedness for the forthcoming governorship primary in EDO 2024.

I write to you in my capacity as an aspirant for the Edo State gubernatorial ticket on the platform of the Labour Party ("LP" or "the Party". The purpose of this letter is to bring to your attention the lack of preparedness and transparency surrounding the Labour Party's planned primaries to produce a gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo State.

As you are aware, the Electoral Act 2022 mandates political parties to conduct transparent primaries to produce candidates and also mandates the Independent National Electoral Commission ("INEC" or "the Commission" to stipulate timelines for conducting these primaries.

As of today, Sunday, 18 February 2024, less than 48 hours to the LP Ward Congresses and about 96 hours to the LP Gubernatorial Primaries, I am constrained to inform you that the Labour Party has exhibited little or no preparedness for the said Ward Congresses scheduled for 20 February, 2024, to elect delegates who will vote in the primaries slated for February 23, 2024, which, by the way, is the last possible day for political parties to conduct primaries before the INEC mandated date of February 24, 2024, for all political parties to upload names of gubernatorial candidates who emerged from party primaries.

The dearth of information and transparency surrounding the primary election process has cast serious doubts on the sincerity of the Labour Party in conducting fair, credible, and democratic primaries to produce a gubernatorial candidate. Numerous aspirants, including myself, have observed with dismay the conspicuous absence of transparency in the process, which has led to a mass exodus of aspirants from the race. This departure of aspirants is not merely a loss to the democratic process but also a testament to the erosion of trust and confidence in the integrity of the Party's leadership. All of the aspirants, without exception, who have withdrawn from the process so far, have voiced concerns about its undemocratic nature. While some have diplomatically cited "personal reasons" for withdrawing, others have been more forthcoming in directly alleging that the Party leadership plans to handpick a preferred aspirant regardless of the outcome of any primaries held.

The Party has also failed to provide critical information to aspirants, party members, and all relevant stakeholders including INEC who will require this information will also allow INEC to effectively perform its statutory duties in monitoring the process. The following issues highlight the lack of preparedness of the LP for the primaries and the statutory congresses leading up to the primaries:

1. There is a complete blackout of specific information on venues for the 192 Ward Congresses scheduled to hold in 48 hours i.e. on the 20th of February, 2024. If the Party has not made arrangements to communicate venues to aspirants who need to mobilise agents and supporters to monitor the process, how does it expect INEC officials to deploy to these Wards and play their statutory role?

2. The Party has failed to publish any specific guidelines detailing a step-by-step process governing the Ward Congress and primaries. This has led to various interpretations of the process by Party officials. I have been inundated with calls from aspirants and Party officials alike asking for clarification on guidelines for delegates, procedures for voting, accreditation of voters, etc. As of today, just two days before the ward congresses, these critical guidelines are unknown to aspirants.

3. The Party has yet to officially communicate the list of screened delegates-aspirants who will stand for elections at the ward congress. The credentials of the delegates determine the legitimacy of the primaries. As a key stakeholder, 1 am up to th moment not privy to any list of screened delegates-aspirants. To make matters € worse, forms for those aspiring to be delegates were sold by both the natic headquarters of the Party and the state chapter of the Party, with arguments sti ongoing on which of the two forms or if both forms would be accepted.

4. Also, the Party is yet to reveal the appointed Electoral Officers to conduct the planned Congresses. The independence and neutrality of the appointed officials are key to a transparent outcome. Their identities and credentials should be communicated to all aspirants for vetting ahead of the exercise. but we remain totally in the dark.

5. Our fears have been magnified by the reluctance of the Party to convene a stakeholder meeting to brief aspirants on preparations, despite repeated appeals to the Party hierarchy to do the same. The venue and logistics arrangements for transporting election materials across the 192 Wards also remain unknown to aspirants to date.

6. I have also personally confirmed from the leadership of law enforcement and security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Security (DSS), who have stated unequivocally that they have not received any formal notification from the Party that it intends to hold Ward Congresses and/or Party primaries in Edo State on the 20th and 23d of February respectively. They also confirmed they are unaware of any security arrangements made by the Party for the ward congresses and primaries as they have yet to receive official communication on venues, materials, etc. Mr Chairman, you will agree with me that this is a recipe for chaos, as there is already palpable tension in the Party, and an absence of security to nip any threat of violence in the bud, does not augur well for the Party or successful conduct of free, fair, and transparent primaries.

I have become constrained to speak out at this point because my repeated attempts to get the Party leadership to see reason and provide transparency around preparations for the primaries have failed to elicit any positive response. Rather, my candid inquiries have been met with disdain and an attempt to bully me into silence.

However, as a leading aspirant who has invested enormous time, energy, effort, and goodwill and built an extensive grassroots network, I owe it to my teeming supporters across Edo State to ensure that due process is adhered to in selecting the Party's flagbearer for the elections. Keeping silent in the face of arbitrary actions by the Party leadership will amount to a betrayal of the trust my supporters have placed in me to represent their interests. I stand on the side of transparency, due process, and internal democracy. I refuse to remain silent, and thereby allow my credibility and integrity to be used to legitimise what is shaping out to be a flawed and undemocratic exercise.

I feel further compelled to speak up because, according to some conspiracy theories being bandied about, I have been fingered as the intended beneficiary of this opaque process.

Nothing can be further from the truth. If these theories are to be believed, I definitely am not privy to any such plans as I will never lend myself to be used for such perfidy. The complete opacity around the Party's primaries preparations points to a lack of readiness to conduct any credible process that can stand legal scrutiny. Moreso, the reluctance to carry aspirants along fuels fears that the eventual primaries outcome may have been predetermined regardless of

They should use the Peter Obi treatment. No voting. Declare someone unopposed and move on.
See the party of the saints. Azi gbakwa.

😂😂😂😂 I thought LP is full of saints oooo

LP doing as usual..Olumide Akpata should be expecting his suspension letter too for anti-party activity

Abure, the Maradona of ellu P 78 don use the noise makers corner enough funds for himself.

naijapips04:


They should use the Peter Obi treatment. No voting. Declare someone unopposed and move on.
See the party of the saints. Azi gbakwa.

I think they’ve gamed Olumide Akpata. He think say na by speaking English.

Abure don carry all of them handicap. Since the guy saw that Obi own corruption much coz how can legal fees be more than the actual campaign money.

Obi and his side chick Aisha don embezzle everything so Abure self vex dey loot him own. I’m sure Obedients will be online to cover his track by blamimg Tinubu as usual.

When Lamidi Apapa dey warn them about Abure, them dey shout Tinubu mole. Now they don dey see who Abure is.

Almost everybody and all sectors in the country smell corruption, I have never been convinced by Obi ever since I saw that he hide money in safe haven without declaration, I advocated for Osinbajo and I am very sure some of the people that went against him have beginning to regret it by now.

Lol

LP be like.....mo ti mo mi ninu akpata.

Over to you....agbadorians.

MikoB:
Almost everybody and all sectors in the country smell corruption, I have never been convinced by Obi ever since I saw that he hide money in safe haven without declaration, I advocated for Osinbajo and I am very sure some of the people that went against him have beginning to regret it by now.

Nigeria problem is not about one man being non-corrupt, it is way deeper than that.

Personally, I have seen no politician that has the integrity of Buhari. But while Buhari might have integrity and not steal, many of his appointees supervised various stealing coz a man in Aso rock won’t police the whole Nigeria by himself.

What am I even saying. Even ordinary civil servant corrupt sotey wey dey no dey even scared of stealing and extorting citizens on camera.

See ELupee party wey never even get power with scandals everyday. How much more when they see real power? When Abure fit just sign on paper and move 50billion through his pen. E go get some kind position and access wey you go get and it’ll only take God’s grace for you not to be corrupt.

Osinbajo seem clean too, but to rule Nigeria, you must be very bold and immune to insults. If Osinbajo float naira and people slander him for 3 weeks straight, he will fold and retract his decision. We don’t need weak leaders like that.

Don't complain, don't explain.

LegendHero:


Nigeria problem is not about one man being non-corrupt, it is way deeper than that.

Personally, I have seen no politician that has the integrity of Buhari. But while Buhari might have integrity and not steal, many of his appointees supervised various stealing coz a man in Aso rock won’t police the whole Nigeria by himself.

What am I even saying. Even ordinary civil servant corrupt sotey wey dey no dey even scared of stealing and extorting citizens on camera.

See ELupee party wey never even get power with scandals everyday. How much more when they see real power? When Abure fit just sign on paper and move 50billion through his pen. E go get some kind position and access wey you go get and it’ll only take God’s grace for you not to be corrupt.

Osinbajo seem clean too, but to rule Nigeria, you must be very bold and immune to insults. If Osinbajo float naira and people slander him for 3 weeks straight, he will fold and retract his decision. We don’t need weak leaders like that.

I got your point brother, but you see nigeria is a sick country, we need a president that is corrupt free and bold, the little time Osinbajo ruled independently for three months, we could all see he was bold and things stabilised, if not for him there wouldn't have been onoghen as chief judge, he also dealt with the dss guy, naira gained value against dollars, he paid unexpected visits to many parastatals of government, I am priveledged to know him maybe that is why I am so convinced about him, believe me Osinbajo is good, even Obi acknowledges this in Osinbajo.

MikoB:


I got your point brother, but you see nigeria is a sick country, we need a president that is corrupt free and bold, the little time Osinbajo ruled independently for three months, we could all see he was bold and things stabilised, if not for him there wouldn't have been onoghen as chief judge, he also dealt with the dss guy, naira gained value against dollars, he paid unexpected visits to many parastatals of government, I am priveledged to know him maybe that is why I am so convinced about him, believe me Osinbajo is good, even Obi acknowledges this in Osinbajo.

I have nothing against Osinbajo. Buy you can’t use few month of acting as president to judge someone.

But u understand your point tho. Osinbajo is very solid guy.

The corruption in Nigeria is too much ooo. Just imagine Labour Party of yesterday been engulf in corruption. This is a pitiable bismal and dismal situation.

This is also the work of the opposition[left][/left]

Lol

I used to think Olumide was smart. Anyway, smart people do foolish things from time to time. How does Olumide think he will win Edo on the labour platform?

Yt

LegendHero:
Olumide Akpata, has written INEC complaining of LP lack of preparedness for the forthcoming governorship primary in EDO 2024.

Akpata don enter the ObiZombies one-chance bus

Who’s your guy
Na olumide akpata

Reminds me of his advert on Chanel’s tv


I track lost phones or devices
Contact me via signature. Below

This one don go rush resign from Templars, Nigerian politics is not for the faint hearted. You can always go back to work.

malali:
Why does Peter Obi, not intervene in his party squabbles ?

Let him come out and issue a statement as elder of the Party.

Your house cannot be burning, but everyday you show more concern for your neighbors house.

If Obi mistakenly intervene, Abure will open Obi and Aisha yansh for the world to see.

When Abure saw the magnitude of Obi loot, he himself committed the mother of heist.

How can Obi obtain diaspora donation and just hand it over to Aisha, what position was Aisha elected for in LP?

E just be like say make Tinubu talk say all APC money for campaign was given to his side chick and no one is raising brow. What Obi did with Aisha cannot be done in any sane party. That people kept mum about it shows everybody be hypocrite.

MikoB:
Almost everybody and all sectors in the country smell corruption, I have never been convinced by Obi ever since I saw that he hide money in safe haven without declaration, I advocated for Osinbajo and I am very sure some of the people that went against him have beginning to regret it by now.

You guys don't hesitate to keep mentioning Peter Obi's name. When will you get tired? Keep enjoying your Tinubu and let Obi rest

Party that presented a well packaged fraud in that manner will do it again and again.

Party of political opportunist who disguises as saint to deceive the lowest thinkers amongst us.

CRIMINALS

Lol dere supporter will still find someone to blame or call him a mole...


Disorganized party....

The Zikist party from the East is dying a natural death 🤣😀😂😂


After the Pajue done fail. The rest na history

This is least of agbado problem

Yet this is the party some guys are dying for, claiming it's God sent.


Still don't see different between PDP, APC and LP.


They all have same ideology and one aim.


TO GRAB POWER AND TO STEAL.

THE WRITER

u go write like wole soyinka,yet nothing

Politics na ur mate?
If i tell u wetin "baba go and verify"see
U go knw say ur own dey learn.

Time for Obidients to leave LP

I think it’s time for Abure to step down. Labour needs fresh vibrant minds right now

That's undemocratic
Anyway patronize my brother