President Bola Tinubu and former president Muhammadu Buhari have congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in Saturday’s Edo State governorship election, over his victory at the polls.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Okpebholo winner after defeating the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Asue Ighodalo in the September 21, 2024 election.
According to the results declared Sunday night by the INEC Okpebholo scored 291, 667 votes and won in 11 local government areas, to beat his main rival, Ighodalo, who polled 247, 274 votes and won in seven local government areas.
The candidate of the Labour Party, Olumide Akpata did not win any of the 18 local government, making him to come a distant third, according to the results declared by the electoral umpire.
In his congratulatory message to the APC candidate, President Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga said the victory in an indication of the party’s popularity.
The president said the party had worked hard for the victory which he said did not come easy.
He said the successful conclusion of the election testify to the fact that Nigeria’s democracy has come to stay, urging the losers to seek appropriate and legal means to seek redress.
Tinubu said, “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.”
On his part, former President Buhari described the vicoty of Okpebholo as historic, urging the governor-elect to work for his people when he gets into office, he urged all stakeholders to strengthen democracy and maintain the growth and development of the state.
