Olumide Akpata Reacts To Speculations Linking Him With APC Switch

The Labour Party (LP) 2024 governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, has debunked claims suggesting he is planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement shared via , Akpata described the reports as “malicious, mischievous, and entirely false,” stressing that he has never contemplated, discussed, or taken steps to join the APC.

He wrote:
“In the past 24 hours, a baseless and mischievous rumour has been concocted in the dark alleys of social media and unfortunately amplified by mischief-makers, alleging that I have abandoned the @NgLabour Party — the very platform on which I contested the 2024 Edo State governorship election — to join the APC.

This is not only false but laughable. For clarity, I state categorically that I have never contemplated, discussed, or effected a defection to the APC. For the avoidance of doubt, I have no intention whatsoever of joining the APC.”

Meanwhile, the Labour Party has described the defection of its former Lagos governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “hasty and ill-advised.”

Rhodes-Vivour, who formally joined the ADC at a ceremony in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, said the party offers a strong coalition to help rescue Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, in a statement, LP’s interim National Publicity Secretary, Tony Akeni, faulted his decision, arguing that Rhodes-Vivour failed to learn from the political strategy of the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who continues to build bridges with opposition forces without leaving the LP.

According to Akeni, the LP has already reached a consensus that no single opposition party — including itself — can unseat the APC in 2027 alone. He stressed that Rhodes-Vivour’s defection was not the right path forward.