…. congratulate Olu Akpata, party guber candidate
By Lucky Isibor
The Edo State chairman of Labour Party (LP), Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi today, Monday 4 March, received in audience a delegation of Otuo community who paid him a solidarity visit in his office.
According to the leader and spokesman of the delegation, Mr. Mike Igaga the delegation was put together by all the interest groups in Otuo community in Owan West Local Government Area to solidarise with one of their own, Kelly Ogbaloi on what he has been passing through as chairman of the Edo chapter of Labour Party and what he’s likely to pass through ahead the Edo State governorship election in September and assured him of the community’s support at all time.
While congratulating the Labour Party governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata (Esq) of the support of Otuo people ahead the election, Igaga pointed out to Ogbaloi’s detractors that Otu is the most populated community in the local government area, adding that they’ll deploy the community’s political capital for Akpata and the Labour Party.
Recall that Kelly Ogbaloi was arrested on the eve of Labour Party primary election allegedly on thrumped up charges of master minding the assault on a former Youth leader of the party, Eragbe.
Igaga who noted that Ogbaloi has never disappointed the community also enumerated his contributions to the emancipation of the Nigerian people from the present economic deprivation they are experiencing.
“We are here as community messengers from Otuo to reassure and solidarise with our son who’s the Edo State chairman of Labour Party that we stand with him in all that he has gone through, in all that he’s likely to go through in whatever form, that the community is behind him.
“Essentially also, we wish to add on that premise, that Kelly Ogbaloi has not disappointed the community in terms of intellectual prowess, capacity to express himself, understand issues, place issues in their proper perspective and put them as they ought to; we’re proud of him. We can say that any time any day. He has history, very rich history in the struggle for the emancipation of the Nigerian people, playing top in the Nigeria Labour union activities. So, he didn’t just come here by accident.
“The joy we have is that he has been able to sustain the integrity and esteem that brought him here. That’s fundamental. The other thing is that his identity and person keys into the objective of the Nigerian state, because the point at issue at this time of our history is the development of our country.
“And Ogbaloi here as the state chairman of Labour Party reinforces the new hope of the Nigerian people. It is not just about him as a person, but it also replicates our community’s support for progressive ideals in the development of the Nigerian state and seeing that he’s a round peg in a round hole in that direction.
“We’ll continue to support him.
We’re also aware of recent issues. We were caught aback when he was arrested for whatever reasons, but looking at it ,we see it as the intrigues of politics, such issues of blackmail, particularly in the current context of our national development politically; taking advantage of small things and subterfuge, chicanery are all part of the political space. So, his arrest was one not far from that. We’re here to solidarise with him, we are here to reassure him that if he’s attacked, demeaned, demystified by any person; the person will realise that he’s dealing with Otuo people and our political capital cannot be taken for granted in Owan East as the most populated in the Local Government Area”.
Igaga urged those who orchestrated the arrest of Ogbaloi to redesign the essence of politics, noting that if they see politics as a means of societal development, they’ll not be involved in such intrigues.
He pointed out that he has as no doubt that Olumide Akpata Esq, the Labour Party candidate will give a good account of himself as Governor of Edo State if given the opportunity to govern the state.
“They should redesign the essence of politics. The moment you realise that politics is not about me, is not about the individual, is not about what I can get, you become more objective in your approach and so you don’t need to carry gun or tell lies and arrest people and in some cases they kill.
“Politics is for development, so let us work together in one spirit so that we can move our country forward.
“For Comrade Akpata, a former chairman of NBA, looking from a distance, I think that he’s the choice candidate at this point in time for the people of Edo State. Our hope is that he should keep up with the progressive ideals which is demanding as the Governor of the state”.
Also speaking, another member of the delegation and legal practitioner, Dr. Ovie Akhamien (Esq) extolled the qualities of the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, Olumide Akpata (Esq) assuring him of the support of Otuo people in the September governorship election and appealed to him to remember Otuo people while dispensing amenities as Governor of Edo State.
“I want to congratulate the Labour Party for such a seamless display of maturity in the handling of who represents Labour Party at the gubernatorial election.
I also congratulate our son, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi who’s at the helm of affairs in the Edo State Labour Party.
I belong to the NBA like Akpata, the Labour Party candidate and was once our president. He made history as the first who became the president of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), not as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in the last several years, that shows his pedigree. He has all it takes to administer the state, he has all it takes to think of the feelings of the people. He handled the NBA well when he was president, he brought innovations that we felt so good about him. So, there’s no doubting the fact that, he being there and by God’s grace he will win the gubernatorial election and the people will be better for it.
“We want to also use this opportunity to tell him that we’re solidly behind him, the state chairman and when it comes to arranging things for the betterment of Edo State, he should remember us from Owan East particularly as people who have been there for them and will continue to be there for him for the success of the Labour Party”.
Responding, Ogbaloi who was full of joy thanked the delegation for identifying with him and the Labour Party.
In his words, “My reaction is that of joy and happiness that today I see that I am acceptable by my people, I belong to them and they belong to me. When things happen to us politically or otherwise and you have your people coming, rising to the occasion is worth the situation that any person will certainly appreciate and be happy about.
“So, this moment I am very glad, happy with my people that as precarious as our economic situation has been, the road infrastructural decay and all of that, they all took the pains to come around to solidarise with me, to come around to join me to congratulate our gubernatorial candidate, Olumide Akpata (Esq). It is to establish the unity of Otuo people, it has also established the desire of Otuo people to work with Olumide Akpata (Esq) our governorship candidate”.