The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II has countered a claim by the Labour Party, LP, candidate for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State, Olumide Akpata.
It was recalls that the 2023 presidential candidate of LP, Peter Obi and Akpata on Saturday paid a courtesy visit to the Oba’s palace shortly after inaugurating the party’s campaign office ahead of the September 21 governorship election.
During the visit, Akpata while seeking the support of the traditional ruler, repeatedly referred to himself as a “son of the palace” in both English and the local dialect.
However, according to a video clip making the rounds, the Oba swiftly dismissed his assertion, stating that he had asked one of his chiefs to verify Akpata’s claims, only to find that the candidate had no direct or distant links to the Palace.
“You are an industrious son of the soil, but to say you are a child of the Palace, I am not aware that any of my children is contesting or is a politician. So I need to make that clarification for the sake of the public and the fourth estate of the realm,” the Oba stated.
Reacting, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Anthony Ehilebo, who posted the video on his official X handle on Sunday, mocked the LP candidate.
He wrote, “Can you see how backing the wrong person can bring you shame. If I were Peter na ground i would just enter”!
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