The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the Edo State governorship election held on Saturday, September 21.
Okpebholo got 291,667 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.
The Labour Party’s (LP) Olumide Akpata trailed behind in third place with 22,763 votes.
A total of 14 other candidates participated in the election, but their results were far below those of the top three contenders.
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INEC’s Returning Officer, Professor Faruk Kuta, made the official announcement at 9:27 p.m. on Sunday at the collation center in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.
He stated, “That Okpebholo Monday of APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
This declaration was met with cheers from APC supporters.
Professor Kuta, who also serves as the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, declared the results after several breaks in the counting process.
The APC candidate won in over 10 of the 18 local government areas, while the PDP candidate secured a narrow lead in the remaining areas. The APC also dominated two out of the three key senatorial districts in the state.
Okpebholo, a current senator from Edo Central, used his strong influence in his district and collaborated with Adams Oshiomhole, a fellow APC member from Edo North, to defeat Ighodalo, who was backed by the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki.
His victory is also credited to his partnership with his running mate, Dennis Idahosa, a federal legislator, and the support of Obaseki’s former deputy, Philip Shaibu, who had fallen out with the governor.
With this win, Okpebholo is now on the verge of becoming the Edo governor, marking the APC’s potential return to power at the Dennis Osadebe Government House.
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