Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the recent Edo State governorship election, has clarified his decision not to contest the election results in court.
He shared his stance in a statement issued on Saturday.
Akpata, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), secured third place in the election, garnering 22,763 votes.
Monday Okpebholo, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the election held on September 21, receiving 291,667 votes.
Additionally, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported that Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) received 247,274 votes.
Akpata’s statement on Saturday, read in part: “Today, as the statutory window for filing petitions at the gubernatorial election tribunal closes, we stand at a pivotal juncture in Edo State and Nigeria’s democratic journey.
“After extensive deliberations with my legal team and key stakeholders, I have made the decision not to challenge the recent election results before the tribunal.
“My decision not to approach the tribunal is not a capitulation to injustice, but a resolute stand against a flawed system.
“I chose to rise above the quagmire of protracted legal battles that often serve to legitimise a fundamentally compromised process. Instead, I commit myself to the arduous but necessary task of systemic reform.
“Our fight transcends the confines of a courtroom; it is a battle for the very soul of our democracy.
“This choice, borne out of deep reflection and rigorous analysis, transcends mere political calculation.
“It is a statement on the state of our democracy and a clarion call for all who cherish the principles of free and fair elections
“As a legal practitioner with over three decades of experience, alongside my deputy, a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria, we have scrutinised every facet of this election.
“Our conclusion, reached after consulting with some of the nation’s finest legal minds, is not just about the outcome of a single election but about the very foundations of our democratic process,” Akpata noted.
