Olumide Akpata, Labour Party’s candidate in Edo’s governorship election, has vowed to contest the outcome if necessary following a thorough examination, News About Nigeria reports.
Recall that on Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner with 291,667 votes.
Akpata secured third place with 22,763 votes, while Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) finished second with 247,274 votes.
In an interview with Arise Television, Akpata stated that he will not accept positions from the incoming administration.
“I will not work with the government. I believe that the hallmark of any democracy is the existence of a vibrant, or let me say not the hallmark, but one key feature of a vibrant democracy is the existence of a vibrant opposition,” Akpata said.
“So we will naturally play the role of the opposition, or at least one of the opposition parties—and we will take this role very seriously. And the election has happened.
“So we have sent the results that we have to our lawyers. We will, of course, reserve our rights to challenge the election if we find that necessary.
“But whatever the case may be, if it turns out that this government indeed emerges at the end of the day, we would play the role of an opposition; We will hold their feet to the fire, we will call them out when necessary,
“When you say work with the government (Okpebholo) — you mean take position or accept positions in the government — that is absolutely out of the question.
“We will remain as a labour party, play our role as opposition, and ensure that we become part of the watchdogs of society, and ensure that whichever government is in place, they do right by the people.
“And that is the way democracy was designed, so that at the end of the day there is consequence management, the people are held accountable, we will work to see that there is transparency in governance, and all of that stuff.
“We will not participate in political halloween and begin to jump over the fence because somebody has been said to have won an election. That will not happen.”
