The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has called on former aspirants who contested the February 23 governorship primary, to join hands with the eventual winner, Olumide Akpata to win the September governorship election for the party.

Akpata, former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), was on Friday, declared the Labour Party candidate for the Edo governorship election with 316 delegate votes.

The National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, in a statement issued on Saturday enjoined former aspirants to eschew bitterness and work for the success of the party by collapsing their structures into that of the candidate.

Abure further told them that the match to Osadebey Avenue’s government house could only be possible if the party leaders and stakeholders unite to defy the usual post election crisis.

“I therefore want to congratulate the winner of the primary election, Barrister Olumide Akpata for recording the highest number of votes which made him the candidate of the party.

“I want to assure him of all our support to ensure that we win the governorship election in September, 2024. We will not rest on our oars until that is achieved,” he said.

The National Chairman noted that Edo State “needs the best of the bests” as its governor, stating that Labour Party has selected one of its bests as the candidate of the party.

“If you juxtapose him with all other candidates that have emerged from the other political parties, it is clear that he stands out,” he said, and assured that the party will work towards the success of his candidacy in governorship election.

Abure who observed that party primary “usually comes with a lot of tension, bickering, politicking and horse-trading,” called on party members “particularly, those who have lost at the primaries to team up with the candidate so that we can all work in unity and togetherness for the victory of the party.

“Whatever errors we have made or pains any party member may have suffered in the process of this party primaries, we want to call on all and sundry to put it behind them and let us all come together as a united family to work for the success of the party ahead of the election.

“We equally call on the candidate to be magnanimous in victory by reaching out to all aggrieved members of the party. He must realise that he needs the support of all party members to win the general election.” (Saturday Telegraph)