…I never granted interview to any journalist as far as the situation is concerned - Ogbaloi
…Akpata is my candidate, his business is my business; is the business of LP – Ogbaloi
Chairman of the Edo State chapter of
Labour Party (LP), Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi has debunked a statement credited to
him by some online newspapers that the LP governorship candidate in
the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election, Barr. Olumide Akpata’s
invitation to the Uniben Staff Club was a private affair, which had nothing to
do with the party.
Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, Edo State Labour Party Chairman
Comrade Ogbaloi disclosed this in an interview with newsmen today,
20th April, 2024 at the party’s secretariat in Benin City, Edo State
capital.
Ogbaloi,
showing bitterness and disappointment over the alleged comment, said I didn’t
take any interview with any journalist at all.
“Well,
let me say clearly that I didn't take any interview with any journalist at all.
It's the fact that when the incident happened, few persons spoke to me who were
not described as journalists; and at no time did I position myself in an
interview in that respect and so I did mention to them ‘yes, I'm invited by the
police.’
“But
it shows some resentment when I said that the police have over escalated the
issue by inviting me in my person. I mentioned that to the individual who spoke
with me and that my candidate, Barr. Olumide Akpata was in uniben to honour
invitation but however, I was not there with him at that particular time, and
that is not to say that we are saying that or I was saying that the issue was out
rightly a personal matter of our candidate.
While
emphasizing that today, Barr. Olumide Akpata is the candidate of Edo LP Party,
Comrade Ogbaloi noted: “Whatever concerns Akpata concerns Labour Party. We take
his duties and he takes our duty, we are intertwined. And so if he had gone to
uniben, it is not completely disconnected from his personality and the
personality of Labour Party. And for me to be quoted as saying that it was a
personal issue, which have nothing to do with Labour Party is not my statements
and I want to make that very clear.
“And
to that extent, I have not granted an interview on this matter for me to be
quoted as it is in that piece of news which is regrettable and I hereby debunk
that, and that I wouldn't further have said in such situation when of course people
will go out and put things down when no interview was appropriately conducted.
“Well, in conclusion, yes, I am amenable to go
to the police station and I have made it clear to the police that I will be
coming. In fact when the letters came I was not in Benin City. So there was no
way I could instantly have responded to the police and besides that, I also
needed to put my candidate Barr. Olumide Akpata on notice that I have gotten
this letter, so that both of us will look at it together and visit the police.
“Of
course it is concluded that we shall be with the police, say about 2.00p.m on
Monday when of course is around time. So that piece of news is regretted and I
hope that journalists must make themselves extremely professional in taking
interview from people. That particular piece of news is not coming from me
since I did not take interview on it, okay.
“To
my teeming supporters and those who must have read that piece of news, I’m here
to reconstruct that position to say that, that was not my statement; that news was
never coming from me. Akpata is my candidate, his business today is my business,
and it is as well the business of the party. I will drive to all logical
conclusions what will enthrone him as the next governor of Edo State. I want to
make that clear, and I’m further to say that those who insinuate that there is
a disconnect between the candidate and the party are day dreaming, and I make
bold to say that such thoughts only exist in figment of their imagination. We
are one indivisible entity and we’re moving together to the task of Labour
Party taking over to produce the next government of Edo State.”
