President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo on his victory in Saturday’s Edo State governorship election.
Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday.
Okpebholo, 54, received 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) placed third. A total of 14 candidates contested the election, but only the top three received significant support.
“That Monday Okpebholo of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” INEC’s returning officer for the poll, Prof. Faruk Kuta, declared.
The president, in a statement from its spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, told Okpebholo not to gloat over his victory but to see it as a challenging call to service.
Tinubu encourages him to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to his political rivals and uniting the people of Edo State to ensure its development.
While commending APC national leaders, Edo State leaders, and party governors for working hard to achieve victory, Tinubu said the victory testified to the people’s support for the ruling party, its progressive ideals, its economic reengineering programme and its commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.
President Tinubu also praises other candidates who participated in the election for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s democracy, saying peaceful political contests, such as the one on Saturday, portray Nigeria as a stable democracy.
The President urges all those aggrieved by the election outcome to seek redress through the legal channels.
In addition, the president commends the people of Edo State for their orderly and peaceful conduct during the election, underscoring the maturing of Nigeria’s democracy after 25 years.
“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”, President Tinubu says.
