Peter Obi influenced my defection to ADC, says ex-Edo LP gov candidate Akpata

 The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election, Olumide Akpata, on Tuesday said he defected to the African Democratic Congress to team up with Peter Obi, a former LP candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking at a ceremony to receive him at the ADC secretariat in Benin, Akpata noted that he joined the party to add value to it.

Akpata was received by the State Chairman of the ADC, Kennedy Odion; former governors of Edo State and leaders of the ADC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, former Senate Chief Whip, Roland Owie; Hon. Murphy Omoruyi, member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency at the House of Representatives, alongside Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, amongst others.

Akpata, who was handed the party card by the state chairman, said he took the decision to join the ADC after Obi joined the party on December 31, 2025, stressing that he joined the party to add value.

Akpata, who expressed gratitude for the warm reception, thanked the ADC for the belief in new Nigeria, and also the Obidient Movement for their steadfastness.

In his remarks, Obi expressed his commitment to a new Nigeria, adding, “our commitment to a new Nigeria is total though they are doing everything possible to stop us.”

He added, “We must build a nation that works for all not a few. This country is currently working for a few, it shouldn’t be so, we are all Nigerians.

“As a matter of fact, we must move this country from the status of consumption to production.”

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the State Party Chairman, Odion, who thanked Obi for his steadfastness, said the party is committed to building a new Nigeria.

In his remarks, Oyegun said, “Our stocks are growing everyday not just in number but in quality. Nigeria is a nation that needs to be saved.”

On his part, Osunbor, expressed optimism that the Oyegun-led coalition would lead ADC to victory in 2027.

He added, “Oyegun led the coalition in 2013 that led APC to victory in 2015, and he is leading the coalition now under ADC to lead us to victory in 2027. He is someone that has always led coalition to victory. We are sure he is going to lead this coalition to victory.”

Osunbor, who accused the ruling party of the plan to rig the 2027 elections, said members of the APC pretend to be democrats, but in the real sense they are not.

He said, “There are people who pretend to be democrat but they have exposed themselves to Nigerians that they are anti-democracy. An example of that was their refusal to approve real-time transmission of election results.

“The major mistake that was made in the 2023 election is that election results were not transmitted electronically real-time in the presidential election. So, we expected that the National Assembly would approve real-time mandatory transmission of election results but they refused.

“We are not going to allow the rigging they are planning. It is only those who intend to rig that are opposed to real-time transmission of election results.

“They know that they have been rejected. They know that they cannot win a free and fair election following the rules, but Nigeria must be alert.”