The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the keenly contested Saturday, September 21, 2024 governorship election in the South-South state, ending months of intense politicking in Edo State.
Okpebholo, 54, secured 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 247,274 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) who came a distant third in the race with 22,763 votes among fourteen other candidates in the contest.
INEC’s Returning Officer for the poll, Prof Faruk Kuta, said at exactly 09:27 pm, to delightful cheers from APC supporters at the collation centre in Benin City, the state capital on Sunday,
“That Okpebholo Monday of APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
Asue Ighodalo, Monday Okpebholo and Olumide Akpata
The APC candidate cleared over 10 of the 18 local government areas, leaving the PDP candidate with marginal victory in the other local councils. The APC gained control in two of the three battleground senatorial districts in the state.
See table showing the breakdown of votes by LGAs for the top three candidates:
LGA APC LP PDP
Igueben 5907 494 8470
Esan West 12952 342 11004
Owan West 12277 201 11284
Uhunmwonde 8776 767 9339
Ovia North East 13225 1675 15311
Esan South East 8398 98 14199
Egor 16760 1966 14658
Akoko Edo 34847 2239 15865
Esan Central 10990 418 8618
Esan North East 10648 194 12522
Ovia South West 10150 849 10260
Orhionmwon 16059 556 14614
Owan East 19380 446 14189
Etsako East 20167 604 9683
Etsako Central 11906 381 8455
Etsako West 32107 2116 17483
Oredo 30780 5389 24938
Ikpoba-Okha 16338 4026 26382
291,667 22,763 247,274
Okpebholo, the Edo Central Senator, leveraged significant influence in his senatorial district, and joined forces with his colleague in the National Assembly from Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, to defeat Ighodalo, the anointed candidate of the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki.
Okpebholo’s victory could also be attributed to his alliance with Dennis Idahosa, his running mate who is a federal lawmaker; and Obaseki’s estranged deputy, Philip Shaibu.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo on his victory at the polls.
Tinubu commended APC national leaders, Edo leaders and party governors for working hard to achieve victory, Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement.
The President said the victory testified to the people’s support for the ruling party, progressive ideals, economic re-engineering programme and commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.
He urged Okpebholo not to gloat over his victory but to see it as a call to service.
He encouraged him to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to his political rivals and uniting the people of Edo to ensure development.
Tinubu also praised other candidates who participated in the election for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s democracy, saying that 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 legal channels.
