Edo guber: INEC presents certificate of return to Okpebholo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented a certificate of return to Monday Okpebholo, governor-elect of Edo state, and Dennis Idahosa, his deputy.

The certificate was presented on Thursday by Rhoda Gumus, national commissioner representing Edo, at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

On Sunday, INEC declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the winner of the Edo governorship election.

The electoral body said Okpebholo secured 291,667 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 247,274 votes.

Abdullahi Ganduje, APC chairman; Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north; and some members of the party’s national working committee (NWC); graced the occasion.

Speaking afterwards, Ganduje said party faithful are elated after losing the state to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“This was an APC state, but we lost it. The governor went on a sabbatical. But we have been able to recover the state now for APC, so we are quite happy. We also commend INEC for conducting a free and fair election,” he said.

Oshiomhole said Okpebholo would respect the traditions of the state and place value on education.

“Edo people are happy because they had a governor that disrespected them and brutalised them,” he said.

“Now, we have a humble and focused governor.

“We now have a governor who will respect our traditional institutions, who will not be fighting over artefacts, a governor who knows the value of education and will not destroy libraries to replace them with markets.”

The PDP and LP have rejected the outcome of the election.