Edo Guber: Akpata, the former Nigerian Bar Association president, vows to resist intimidation following a violent attack by UNIBEN students. As the campaigns for the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election begin, tensions rise, indicating a fierce battle for the state’s leadership. Supporters of Akpata view the attack against him as an assassination attempt, pointing fingers at a senior Edo State government official as the alleged sponsor of the assault. Akpata, undeterred, warns that the Labour Party will not be intimidated and pledges to resist any attempts to create chaos in Edo State.
The incident unfolded during an interactive session hosted by senior UNIBEN staff for Akpata at their staff club. However, the event was disrupted by members of the Students Union Government (SUG), led by their president, King Lemuel, claiming that using students for campaigning at the staff club was unacceptable. The situation escalated when the staff club’s president declared autonomy from the university, exacerbating the conflict.
In response, the university condemned the violence and formed a committee to investigate the incident. Akpata, in a video statement, refuted allegations of his security personnel shooting a student and emphasized that he was the one attacked. The SUG, in a separate statement, detailed their justification for storming the event venue and accused Akpata’s security aides of assaulting a director of sports.
The SUG reported the matter to the DPO of Ugbowo Police Station to maintain a calm environment on campus. Akpata plans to provide a comprehensive report to the police for appropriate action. The incident has raised concerns about the state of democracy in Nigeria and the role of investigative journalism. It underscores the importance of supporting independent media outlets like TELL Magazine that champion objective and robust journalism for the greater good.