Yesterday, Hon. Lucky Obiyan, a well-known member of the “Obidient Movement” and a Labour Party governorship candidate, called a press conference at Olive Place, Akenzua Road, to declare that he and his supporters would not be endorsing Barr. Olumide Akpata, the party’s nominee for governor in the 2024 Edo Governorship Elections. This announcement sent shockwaves through the ancient city of Benin.
The recently finished “shady primaries” held by the Edo State leadership of the Labour Party served as the basis for Hon. Obiyan’s decision.
He claimed that he organized the news conference to inform the public that the Obedient Movement is independent of all political parties.
His words: “The Labour Party in Edo State has so far demonstrated every contradictory arrangement to what Obidients believe in, and that is why we have to urgently inform the people that they shouldn’t be misled.
“We have come to tell the Edo people and the Edos in diaspora that the Obidient Movement washes its hands like Pontius Pilate in the Bible clean from Edo Labour Party and its candidate Olumide Akpata!”.
Earlier that same day, another group called the Edo Obidient Movement met to issue a statement pledging loyalty to Peter Obi; but also condemned the failure of the Labour Party to position itself as a credible alternative to the PDP and the APC at their Edo Primaries.
Addressing journalists at the NUJ Secretariat in Benin City, the group’s spokesman, Mr. Ikhuenbor Figo, said that the Edo Obidient Movement was passing a vote of no confidence in the Edo LP governorship primaries process, the Labour Party leadership, and the party’s governorship candidate, Barr. Olumide Akpata.
