Olumide Akpata

Labour Party (LP)Lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar AssociationEdo StateEdo State

Olumide Akpata is a lawyer and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association who took a national professional reputation into the 2024 Edo governorship race under Labour Party. His candidacy mattered because it showed that the 2023-era reform and outsider energy around Labour could still attract recognizable establishment figures at state level.

Why This Profile Matters in 2027

Former NBA president whose 2024 Edo governorship run turned legal-sector prestige into statewide political visibility. Even outside office, he remains relevant to future Labour and reform-minded alignments in Edo.

Akpata remains relevant to 2027 because he gave Labour a recognizable, high-status figure in one of the most watched off-cycle governorship races.
His Edo run showed that Labour can still attract elite professional candidates even when the party is under pressure to prove it can outlast the 2023 surge.
Whether he re-emerges directly or not, his campaign is now part of the template for Labour-style politics in Edo.

Public Record

Built a nationally recognised legal career before moving into higher-profile professional leadership.
Served as President of the Nigerian Bar Association, becoming the first non-SAN elected to the office in decades.
Resigned from senior law-firm leadership in order to pursue full-time politics in Edo.
Contested the 2024 Edo governorship election under Labour Party and became the party's most visible standard-bearer in the state.

Private Sector and Professional Background

Spent much of his career in corporate and commercial legal practice, especially through Templars.
Earned national standing in governance, compliance, and business-law debates before moving into partisan politics.
His appeal has often rested on professional credibility, reform language, and institutional polish rather than machine politics.

Political Timeline

1992-1993
Legal qualification
Completed law studies and entered the Nigerian bar before beginning private legal practice.
1996-2023
Corporate law career
Rose through Templars and became one of the better-known business-law figures in Nigeria.
2020-2022
NBA presidency
Led the Nigerian Bar Association and expanded his national public recognition beyond the legal profession.
2023
Leaves law-firm leadership for politics
Resigned from senior professional office and moved decisively into partisan politics.
2024
Labour Party governorship run
Contested the Edo governorship election and translated professional notoriety into statewide electoral visibility.

Profile

Current Role: Lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association
Occupation: Lawyer and public-interest advocate
Education: University of Benin (Law).; Nigerian Law School.
State of Origin: Edo State
Last Election: 2024 Edo Governorship Election

Sources

Wikipedia: Olumide Akpata Premium Times: Akpata joins Labour Party Vanguard: Akpata emerges NBA president

Party

Labour Party