Society
LP Guber Candidate, Akpata Narrates Ordeal At UNIBEN
“those who are most threatened by my candidacy resorted to the tired old tactics”
The candidate of the Labour Party for this year’s gubernatorial election in Edo state, Olumide Akpata has narrated his recent ordeal at the University of Benin.
Akpata provided the details in a narrative that reads…
What was designed to be an apolitical and innocent homecoming at my Alma Mater, the great University of Benin, yesterday, 12 April 2024, when the Senior Staff Club of the University of Benin had invited me for an interactive session, investiture as an honorary member of the Club, and to also confer an award of excellence on me took a dramatic and unfortunate turn last night.
Regrettably, those who are most threatened by my candidacy resorted to the tired old tactics and deployed thugs, masquerading as students, alongside some students to disrupt and mar a sacred University staff event. In the process, one lecturer was injured and is now receiving treatment. While wishing him a speedy recovery, let me assure all the good people of Edo State and Nigerians in general that I am undeterred by last night’s fiasco and that I remain resolute in my determination to bring about the desired change in Edo State come September 2024.
Without detracting from the seriousness of what transpired last night, I must nevertheless use this medium to appreciate the leadership of the UNIBEN Senior Staff Club for the warm hospitality they accorded to me. I was particularly gratified, and understandably so, by the quality of the discussion during the interactive session with the members of the Club.
This was followed by the conferment of an award of excellence on me by the Club. I have always believed that the best honours are the ones bestowed by one’s teachers. It is for this reason that I hold dearly the award of excellence.
I am also delighted to announce that I was inducted as an honorary member of the Club. On a lighter note, and as I informed the Club yesterday, as a UNIBEN student I had no right of access to the Club and I had to make do with buying pepper soup through the window of the Club. I am truly glad that those days are now well and truly over and I can now access the Club as of right. On a more serious note, I am super grateful for these honours and I pledge to employ customary best endeavors towards the actualisation of the Club’s objectives.
