Medical doctors in Edo State have failed to show up for an interactive session organized by the Edo Branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) with Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate.
The event, scheduled to start at 4PM on Saturday, was held at the Doctors’ House in Ugbowo, Benin City. However, the 500-seater hall remained empty, save for Akpata, his running mate Alhaji Asamah Yusuf Kadiri SAN, and a few NMA executive members.
This development comes as a setback for Akpata, who is still reeling from a recent faux pas at the Palace of the Oba of Benin, where the Oba corrected the candidate’s claim to be a son of the Palace.
“Of course, we didn’t ask anyone to stay away,” a member of the NMA executive told reporters. “We extended invitations to all three major aspirants. The APC candidate asked that he be represented by his deputy, and we declined, but I expected our members to come out and listen to the Labour man today. These things are voluntary, so only those who are not here can say why they chose to stay away.”
The decision to boycott the event is particularly surprising, given that the doctors had turned up a week earlier to listen to the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, speak at the same venue. During that session, Ighodalo promised to allocate 15% of the Edo State budget to healthcare if elected governor.
The Edo State governorship elections are scheduled to take place on September 21, 2024.