•Olumide Akpata
The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, on Thursday joined the Edo State Labour Party (LP) Campaign Council for the September 21, Edo State governorship election to canvas for votes for the party’s flag bearer, Olumide Akpata.
Governor Otti, while addressing the teeming crowd of LP supporters and members who received him, called on them to vote for LP during the election and be vigilant so that their votes would not be circumvented, reports Nigerian Tribune.
The Abia State governor, the only LP governor in the nation, said that the forthcoming governorship election in the state was crucial, and as such members and supporters of the LP in Edo State must ensure that their votes are guarded jealously.
Otti said though the party might not have the guns and ammunition to win the election as violence continued to permeate the electioneering, the party had the people to deliver their choice candidate for the people of the state.
“I have come to appeal to you. You are all our people. I told Olumide that there is no need to preach to the converted. We have converted you already and it is now time for us to go and convert others. This is an election, it is an election that will make a difference in Edo State. It is an election for the people. We may not have all the guns and the ammunition, but we have the people.
“So, the charge I want to give you is that, when you vote on that day, remain in your polling booth and don’t go home. That is how we did it in Abia State. So, for 48 and 72 hours, nobody slept. I used to tell our people; we have one saying. We said the rat does not eat something when the owner is awake.
“So, you people should not sleep. If it is about the votes, we will have the votes, if it is about winning, we will win. We will not allow any rat to steal our victory,” Otti admonished the crowd.
Also speaking at the rally, the factional Secretary of the LP Caretaker Committee, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, appealed to the people of the state not to disappoint the party by voting for other candidates except Akpata if they really wanted to enjoy the dividends of democracy which the people in Abia state are currently enjoying.
“The victory is ours and we must deliver full time on that particular day and what Abia is enjoying today Edo State will enjoy it too,” Nwokocha assured.
Earlier, the Edo State governorship candidate of the party, Olumide Akpata, while welcoming the governor of Abia State, said Otti was in Benin City to help talk to the people of the state to vote for him and his running mate, Kadiri Asamah (SAN) and not to talk to the party faithful.
“Jesus Christ said, he didn’t come for the saved but for the lost,” Akpata said.
