After months of political struggles, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Monday Okpebholo, has been declared winner of the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission, made the declaration on Sunday, at the state collation center, Benin.
It was gathered Okpebholo, secured 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who got 247,274 and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party came a distant third in the race with 22,761 votes.
The result was announced by the INEC’s Returning Officer for the poll, Prof Faruk Kuta, at the collation centre in Benin City, the state capital on Sunday.
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Kuta, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, in Niger State, declared the winner of the poll after series of recesses.
He said: “That Okpebholo Monday of APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
Okpebholo won in Esan West, Owan West, Egor, Akoko-Edo, Esan Central, Orhionmwon, Etsako East, Etsako Central, Etsako West, Oredo.
Recall that APC lost power in Edo state, 2020 after the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki, defected from the party to the PDP due to fallout with his predecessor, Oshiomhole.
After he was denied the APC governorship ticket, Obaseki joined the PDP and clinched the ticket to defeat APC’s Osagie Ize-Iyamu to seal his second term which will end on November 12, 2024.
