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Monday Okpebholo Of The APC was declared The New Governor of Edo State by INEC.
Farouk Adamu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer, announced the results in Benin City, the Edo state capital, on Sunday.
“I, Prof. Faruq Adamu Kuta, I certify that I’m the returning officer for the Edo state governorship election held on September 21, 2024,” he said.
“That Monday Okpebholo of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner of the election and returned elected.”
In a closely contested election, Okpebholo emerged victorious with a total of 291,667 votes. His closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), garnered 247,274 votes, while Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) trailed behind with 22,763 votes.
Election Results:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) clinched victory in 11 out of the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Edo state. On the other hand, the PDP secured victories in the remaining seven LGAs.
Okpebholo’s win in the election underscores the power of democracy and the importance of active participation in the electoral process. Congratulations to the newly elected senator and best wishes for a successful tenure.
Title: APC Wins Edo State Governorship Election Amid Allegations of Electoral Fraud
Allegations of Electoral Fraud by PDP Agent
At the collation centre, Tony Iyoha, a PDP agent, raised concerns about possible electoral fraud, accusing the APC of manufacturing results in their favor.
Heading: APC Claims Victory in Edo State Governorship Election
In a stunning turn of events, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured a decisive victory over Governor Godwin Obaseki in the Edo State governorship election held on September 21. The party’s candidate, Monday Okpebholo, has been declared the new governor of the state.
Allegations Spark Controversy
The victory of the APC has sparked controversy, with allegations of electoral fraud being raised by opposition parties. Despite the accusations, Monday Okpebholo is set to take office as the new governor of Edo State.
In the September 21 governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) political machine decisively defeated Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, appointing Monday Okpebholo, the party’s nominee, as the new governor of the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the results on Sunday night. Okpebholo defeated his main opponent, Dr. Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 247, 274 votes and won in seven local government areas, with 291, 667 votes.
Monday Okpebholo Of The APC was declared the New Governor of Edo State by INEC. Overall, 56% of votes were cast for the APC, 35% for the PDP, and 9% for the Labour Party (LP), whose candidate, Olumide Akpata, finished in a distant third place.
Okpebholo expressed gratitude to the Edo voters for granting him the right to lead.
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In a succinct remark, he stated, “Thank you, Edo State people! Your faith in us and your help have made this win possible.
“Together, we will ensure growth, togetherness, and prosperity for everyone as we establish a brighter future for our state.
“This is only the start – let’s keep going forward together.” Bless Edo State, God!
Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, left nothing to chance when he accompanied roughly ten APC governors and other party leaders to Edo State in a dramatic demonstration of strength.
Obaseki filed a lawsuit for calm and assured PDP members and their nominee that he would take the matter to court to get justice.
Oddly enough, Obaseki’s multiple running battles were a major factor in the APC’s victory, seemingly turning the election into a referendum on the governor.
Many thought that one of the main reasons Obaseki’s party lost was the several problems he was dealing with at the same time.
The APC candidate was also congratulated by former president Muhammadu Buhari for “this prized, historic electoral victory.”
The APC’s win, according to Senate Deputy President Jibrin Barau, was a vote of confidence in Tinubu.
The PDP, however, insisted that it was standing by the results obtained by its polling agents throughout the state and confirmed by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, the head of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, which purportedly showed that the party’s candidate, Ighodalo, had prevailed.
The PDP branch in Edo State also objected to the way INEC collated the results, claiming that the commission had fabricated votes, artificially increased the number of APC votes, and subtracted PDP ballots.
Yesterday, PDP members in Kwara State also began a nonviolent protest against the conduct and results of the state’s local government elections, which were held last Saturday and saw the APC declared the winner in each of the state’s 16 local government districts.
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) had earlier counseled INEC to uphold the integrity of the Edo State election process and to be impartial.
Parallel to this, a group of civil society organizations (CSOs) authorized to monitor the Edo State gubernatorial election expressed worries about the collation process’s transparency.
The PDP claimed that the ferocity and haste with which the APC attacked Fintiri after he announced the party’s victory only served to highlight the violent desperation of the party to hide its manipulations and seize the mandate that the people of Edo State had freely granted to Ighodalo.
As the Edo 2024 governorship race came to a close, the Nigeria Police quickly went into post-election lockdown mode.
Once Okpebholo met all the qualifications and received the most votes, he was re-elected as governor of Edo State, according to INEC Chief Returning Officer Faruq Kuta.
However, after INEC declared the results, PDP and LP State Agents Sam Omede and Osaigbovo Iyoha, respectively, left the collation center without endorsing the results.
The APC declared their win a victory for democracy as they were ecstatically welcomed into the party. The party had sent ten governors and numerous other well-known party figures from around the nation to Edo State, where they had mobilized in force.
From the start of the process, the APC wrapped up any loose ends because they believed that Tinubu would benefit from the election. It was unwilling to take a chance, therefore it dispatched teams of party members to observe the election in several sections of Edo State.
The APC had effectively used the outgoing governor’s conflict with other federal and state power centers, such as Oba of Benin and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, to turn the election into a referendum on the outgoing governor.
Bola Tinubu, the president, congratulated Okpebholo on winning the election.
Tinubu gave the APC candidate his congrats on winning.
The president praised the governors of the party, Edo State leaders, and national leaders of the APC for their tireless efforts in securing the victory, according to a statement issued by his communication and strategic adviser, Bayo Onanuga.
According to him, the triumph demonstrated the public’s backing for the central government’s progressive policies, economic reengineering plan, and dedication to enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians.
Instead of taking pride in his triumph, Tinubu advised Okpebholo to view it as a difficult call to duty. In order to secure Edo State’s growth, he urged the future governor to show generosity by interacting with his political opponents and bringing the people of Edo State together.
According to Tinubu, peaceful political contests like the one on Saturday present Nigeria as a stable democracy. He also commended other candidates who took part in the election for their contributions to furthering Nigeria’s democracy.
The president advised everyone who felt wronged by the results of the election to pursue legal recourse.
Furthermore, Tinubu praised the people of Edo State for their calm and orderly behavior throughout the election, highlighting how Nigeria’s democracy has developed 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,” Tinubu was cited as saying in the statement.
“INEC has proven once more that it is dedicated to holding a free and fair election in our nation.”
Buhari expressed optimism that the leaders of the defeated parties and the incoming administration will cooperate to uphold the state’s development trajectory and fortify democracy.
The former president wrote, “My warmest wishes for a new lease of life for Edo State and its people and congratulations to the APC and the election winner, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on the historic electoral victory.”
“I sincerely hope that both the victors and the losers will collaborate to uphold the state’s development trajectory and enhance democracy.
“I applaud the numerous election officials who work hard to enhance their performance with every election, as well as the law enforcement organizations for their efforts in guaranteeing a peaceful election.
“I pray that Nigeria, the most populous nation on the continent, will keep making incredible progress under democracy.”
According to a statement made by Ismail Mudashir, Barau’s media assistant, the people’s will is still the most powerful force in any democracy. He also praised INEC for preserving the will of the people as demonstrated by their voting.
The deputy senate president also praised Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC’s national chairman, for his visionary leadership, which he claimed offered the party greater togetherness and ultimately contributed to the party’s election triumph.
“Our great party, the All Progressives Congress, won the Edo State gubernatorial election last Saturday, and it is well-deserved,” declared Barau.
“I extend my congratulations to all of our supporters and the governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on this triumph. It is a win for our democracy, the people of Edo State, and not just the APC.
“This triumph is an additional demonstration of the state’s citizens’ faith in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s excellent performance and leadership since he took office in May of last year.”
PDP Supports Fintiri and Declares Asue Ighodalo the Winner as Their Candidate
The PDP stated that it was standing by the results obtained by its polling agents throughout the state, which Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, the head of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, had verified. According to the results, Ighodalo was declared the winner.
“As Governor Fintiri presented, the results collated from the polling units have Asue Ighodalo in clear lead before the state collation exercise was hijacked by the APC, which in connivance with some unscrupulous INEC and security officials engaged in blatant alteration and substitution of the genuine results with fabricated figures in favor of the defeated APC candidate,” the PDP stated in a statement signed by Debo Ologunagba, national publicity secretary for the party.
According to the statement made public before to INEC’s official results announcement, PDP has warned Nigerians on multiple occasions about the APC’s and its candidate, Okpebholo,’s evil scheme.
The PDP chapter in Edo State objected to INEC compiling the results of the gubernatorial election. The panel was accused of fabricating votes, inflating APC votes unfairly, and subtracting PDP votes.
Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, the PDP’s state chairman, made the accusation during a news conference and stated that the reason he called it was due to the way the party perceived the electoral process. Aziegbemi claimed that there were numerous anomalies in the procedure.
Aziegbemi added that there were significant differences in the initial reports from the electoral umpire in three local government areas, and he asked INEC to investigate the party’s concerns.
Police Implement a Post-Election Security Plan
Yesterday, as the Edo governorship election was coming to a finish, the Nigeria Police initiated their post-election security plan.
According to the police, the plan included, but was not limited to, a “Show of Force Exercise,” which is intended to increase public trust and reassure people that the force is prepared to respond effectively to any potential danger to the state’s security and safety.
According to a statement made by Force Public Relations Officer (PRO) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, DIG Frank Mba, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the elections, ordered increased deployment in and around INEC facilities, important election stakeholders, and other vital infrastructure within the state in accordance with the post-election security strategy.
According to Adejobi, “The Nigeria Police Force urged residents to uphold the law and maintain peace while engaging in their daily activities.
However, the Force issues a warning against any actions taken by any person or organization that could jeopardize the state’s current condition of peace.
The PRO came to the conclusion that the state’s security forces, including the police, were equipped to maintain calm throughout.
