A pressure group within the Edo State Labour Party(LP), Shine Your Eyes Group (SYEG), has called on Barrister Olumide Akpata, the party’s candidate for the September 21 governorship poll in the state, to step down for Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice.
The group commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leaders of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Edo State for adhering to the principle of fairness, equity in the choice of its governorship candidates and running mate.
The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Jonah Ifada and Secretary, Osagie Omoregie said the LP has murdered sleep in Edo State when the leadership of the party decided to go against the core principle of fairness, equity and justice by throwing a candidate from Edo South in a skewed primary.
SYEG in an apparent reaction to a news report by the Benin Youth Council (BYC), on Wednesday where it appealed to Barrister Ken Imansuangbon to sheathe his sword and join hands with Olumide Akpata in his governorship bid, said Akpata should rather step down to a more popular Imansuangbon to avoid embarrassment in the September 21 governorship election in the state noting that it is not the turn of Edo South.
The group argued, “Look at what President Tinubu and the leadership of APC did in Edo State. They decided to abide by the principle of fairness, equity and justice which are fundamental to any development just like what the PDP did. The LP should have taken a cue from the APC.
“Are you saying Olumide Akpata is more popular than great and experienced politicians like Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Lucky Imansuen and others who decided to drop their ambition in support of zoning? Akpata should do the needful and step down for Imansuangbon now and save the LP from shame. Imansuagbon has vowed to fight his case to a logical conclusion.”
Recall that Imansuangbon had gone to court to challenge the emergence of Olumide Akpata as the candidate of the LP. Imansuangbon, in his petition, stated that Mr. Olumide Akpata committed offences ranging from giving false information to the acquisition of citizenship of another country, which is a grand departure from the Nigerian Constitution’s accepted norms.
The educationist wanted the court to determine whether Akpata “has not supplied or otherwise given false information to the INEC within the meaning or contemplation of the provisions of section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 read together with section 182(1) (a) and (j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), among other allegations.
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