Official: INEC Declares APC’s Okpebholo Winner of Edo Governorship Poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Monday Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the Edo State election, defeating his closest challenger, Ighodalo from the PDP.

The Returning Officer for the election, Faruk Kuta, made the declaration at exactly 9:27 p.m at the State Collation Centre in Benin City on Sunday evening.

Mr Kuta, a professor and vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, announced the final results after collating results from the 18 local government areas of the state.

The returning officer said Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat his closest challenger and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, who scored 247,274 votes.

The candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Olumude Akpata, came a distant third with 22,763 votes.

“That Monday Okpebholo of the APC, having satisfied all the requirements of law and scored majority of the lawful votes, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Mr Kuta declared.

The final results showed that Mr Okpebholo won in 11 local government areas in the state while Mr Ighodalo won in seven.

The candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Akpata, did not win in any local government area.

The DAILY BELLS earlier reported that Mr Okpebholo was leading with over 48,000 votes after the results from 16 of the 18 local government areas in the state were collated.

Okpebholo, as governor-elect would succeed the incumbent governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki, whose second term will end on 12 November.

Meanwhile, the PDP in the state has protested against the election result, which it alleged was manipulated in favour of the APC candidate.

Earlier, Tony Iyoha, the PDP state agent, said the results did not reflect the votes cast at polling units.

Mr Iyoha asked the electoral officials to suspend further collation of results because the election process did not follow the procedures of the electoral body.

But Mr Kuta asked those who have issues with the exercise to file a formal petition against it.