Anita Ogona
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has, on Sunday, declared Monday Okpebholo of All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the keenly contested Edo governorship election held on Saturday, 21 September, 2024.
According to INEC, Okpebholo secured a total of 291,667 votes from 18 local government areas of the state. With 247,655 votes, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second in the election.The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has, on Sunday, declared Monday Okpebholo of All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the keenly contested Edo governorship election held on Saturday, 21 September, 2024.
According to INEC, Okpebholo secured a total of 291,667 votes from 18 local government areas of the state. With 247,655 votes, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second in the election.The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Olumide Akpata came third with 22,763 votes.
However, PDP is protesting against the results claiming that they were tampered with. The party’s chairman in Edo State, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, told newsmen in Benin on Sunday that the entries electoral officers made were quite different from the actual results uploaded on the INEC IREV from the polling units.
The PDP alleged that the results had been inflated to favour APC candidate, and that they deducted them from the votes of his party, PDP.
However President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Saturday’s Edo State governorship election, on his victory at the off-cycle election which had 17 candidates contest for the exalted seat at the Dennis Osadebay House in Benin City.
In a statement on Sunday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commended the APC national leaders, Edo State leaders, and party governors for working hard to achieve victory.
He stated that the victory testified to the people’s support for the ruling party, its progressive ideals, its economic reengineering programme and its commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.
The president urged Senator Okpebholo not to gloat over his victory but to see it as a challenging call to service.
He encouraged the Edo State Governor-elect to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to his political rivals and uniting the people of Edo State to ensure its development.
Tinubu also praised other candidates who participated in the election for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s democracy, saying peaceful political contests, such as the one on Saturday, portray Nigeria as a stable democracy.
The President urged all those aggrieved by the election outcome to seek redress through the legal channels.
In addition, Tinubu hailed the people of Edo State for their orderly and peaceful conduct during the election, underscoring the maturing of Nigeria’s democracy after 25 years.
“I commend the INEC and our security agencies for working round the clock to conduct a successful, peaceful and largely hitch-free exercise.
“INEC has once again demonstrated that it is committed to organising a free and fair election in our country”, Tinubu said.
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