Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, has rejected claims that he has defected to the All Progressives Congress, insisting he remains loyal to the Labour Party.
Responding to rumours of his defection, in a statement issued a statement on Tuesday, September 16, Akpata, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association, said the claims are a deliberate attempt to smear his image.
“In the past 24 hours, a malicious, mischievous and utterly false rumour has been concocted in the dark alleys of social media, and unfortunately amplified by mischief-makers, alleging that I have abandoned the Labour Party, the very platform on which I contested the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election, to join the All Progressives Congress,” he said.
Dismissing the reports as baseless, he continued, “This is not only false but laughable. I state without equivocation that I have neither contemplated, discussed, nor effected a defection to the APC, and for the avoidance of doubt, I have no intention of ever joining the APC.”
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His clarification comes at a time when Edo’s political scene is witnessing fresh speculation of realignments and defections in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
Akpata joined the Labour Party in 2023 and quickly became one of its most recognisable figures.
His entry into politics was widely regarded as a boost for the party, especially during the September 2024 governorship election in Edo, where his campaign drew the support of young voters and expanded the LP’s influence in the state.
Although he eventually lost the governorship contest to the APC’s Monday Okpebholo, many analysts argued that Akpata’s candidacy helped solidify the Labour Party’s relevance in Edo politics following Peter Obi’s strong national performance in 2023.