He defeated his closest rival, Dr. Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by a margin of 44,012 votes.
Okpebholo’s victory has sparked celebrations across the state as supporters heralded what they see as a new chapter in Edo’s political history, Vanguard reported.
To secure his victory, Okpebholo won in 11 out of the 18 local councils of Edo State, with a dominant performance in Edo North, the stronghold of former Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
However, Ighodalo managed to edge out Okpebholo in Edo Central and Edo South by narrow margins.
The local councils won by Okpebholo included Etsako West, Etsako East, Akofo Edo, Owan East, Owan West, Etsako Central, Esan West, Esan North-East, Esan Central, Egor, and Oredo.
On the other hand, Ighodalo won in seven LGAs, including Esan North-East, Esan South-East, Igueben, Ovia North-East, Ovia South-West, Uhunwonde, and Ikpoba-Okha.
The Labour Party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata, trailed significantly behind, finishing in a distant third place with 22,763 votes, Leadership reported.
Despite the setback, Akpata’s supporters remain hopeful that their party will continue to grow in influence in future elections.
Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the APC, extended his congratulations to Okpebholo, attributing the win to the public’s trust in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
Ganduje stated:
Ganduje’s Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, also emphasized that with Okpebholo’s leadership, Edo State is set to witness unprecedented growth and development, which will positively transform the lives of its citizens.
In a contrasting tone, the PDP’s National Campaign Council for the Edo State election, chaired by Adamawa State Governor Umaru Fintiri, raised concerns about the integrity of the collation process.
After the announcement of results from 12 local government areas, Fintiri demanded the restoration of the collation process in accordance with the Electoral Act.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State also expressed his discontent, urging residents to remain calm while denouncing the election as marred by a disregard for due process and the rule of law.
Obaseki lamented:
Okpebholo following his declaration as the winner, Senator Okpebholo reassured the people of Edo State that they had elected the best person for the job.
Okpebholo vowed:
In a related development, TimesNow.com.ng reported that President of the Senate, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, has lauded the results of the recently concluded gubernatorial election in Edo State, in which the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, emerged victorious.
Akpabio acknowledged the tense atmosphere at the beginning of the election but maintained that the outcome demonstrates the people’s confidence in Tinubu’s leadership.
