EDO POLICE INVITE LP GUBER CANDIDATE, AKPATA OVER UNIBEN ATTACK

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The candidate of the Labour Party in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, has been invited by the state Police Command over alleged security breaches, involving shootings at the University of Benin, UNIBEN, last Friday.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, on Thursday in Benin City said the invitation was served on Akpata by investigators in the political desk session of the state Criminal Investigation Department on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

The guber candidate was allegedly attacked by suspected political thugs during an investiture ceremony at the invitation of the UNIBEN Staff Club.

He, however, alleged that the attack was to assassinate him and that it was orchestrated by the state’s Peoples Democratic Party, as well as the state government.

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the Labour Party, Kelly Ogbaloi, confirming receipt of the police invitation, described the incident as Akpata’s private affair that had nothing to do with the party.

He said, “Barr. Olumide Akpata is our candidate, but UNIBEN invited him to honour him on a personal note. I didn’t sign surety of his safety there. I don’t know why the police are equally inviting me to come along with Barrister Olumide Akpata.

“The police ought to have done their background checks, his being honoured by UNIBEN had nothing to do with our party Secretariat, so I don’t know why I am being asked to come along with him to police Command Headquarters in Benin. However, I will honour the invitation.”

The chairman who said he was not in Benin when the letter was delivered, however, assured me that he would honour the invitation.