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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Edo State governorship election held on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
The electoral commission declared Okpebholo winner of the election on Sunday, saying that he polled a total of 291,667 votes to defeat his closest contender, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored a total 247,274 votes.
Olumide Akpata, of the Labour Party came a distant third with a total of 22,763 votes.
Okpebholo won in 11 local government areas out of the 18 local government areas in the state, while Ighodalo won in the remaining ones.
Akpata of the Labour Party lost in all the local government areas including his own local council area, Oredo.
According to the INEC, Okpebholo in the keenly contested election, secured wins in key local government areas including Esan West, Owan West, Akoko Edo, Egor, Esan Central, Ovia South West, Orhionmwon, Owan East, Etsako East, Oredo and Etsako West local government areas.
On the other hand, Ighodalo won in Ovia South-West LGA, Esan North-East LGA, Ovia North-East LGA, Uhunmwode LGA, Igueben LGA, and Esan South-East local government areas.
The announced results on local governments basis showed that in Igueben, APC secured 5,907 votes, PDP polled 8,470 votes and LP got 494 votes. In Esan West, APC – 12,952; PDP – 11,004; LP – 342. In Owan West, APC – 12,277; PDP – 11,284; LP – 201. In Uhunmwode, APC – 8,776; PDP – 9,339; LP – 769. In Ovia North East, APC – 13,225; PDP – 15,311; LP – 1,675. In Esan South East, APC – 8,398; PDP – 14,199; LP – 98. In Egor, APC – 16,760; PDP – 14,658; LP – 1,966. In Akoko Edo, APC – 34,847; PDP – 15,865; LP – 2,239. In Esan Central, APC – 10,990; PDP – 8,618; LP – 418.
In Esan North East, APC – 10,648; PDP – 12,522; LP – 194. In Ovia South West, APC – 10,150; PDP – 10,260; LP – 849. In Orhionmwon, APC – 16,059; PDP – 14,614; LP – 556. In Owan East, APC – 19,380; PDP – 14,189; LP – 446. In Etsako, APC – 20,167; PDP – 9,683; LP – 604. In Etsako Central, APC – 11,906; PDP – 8,455; LP – 381. In Etsako West, APC – 32,107; PDP – 17,483; LP – 2116. In Oredo, APC – 30,780; PDP – 24,938; LP – 5,389. In Ikpoba Okha, APC – 16,338; LP – 4,026; PDP – 26,382.
TNL, earlier reported that the PDP candidate, Ighodalo, described the election as potentially the worst in Nigeria’s history, citing numerous alleged irregularities.
Speaking during a live press conference on Sunday, organised by the Edo PDP National Campaign Council and led by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri while the collation of results was still on, Ighodalo expressed deep concerns over the election’s integrity.
He detailed several instances of electoral infractions across various polling units, particularly focusing on alleged manipulations by INEC.
Ighodalo pointed out significant discrepancies, notably in polling units in Ikpoba/Okha Ologbo, where accredited voters were recorded as zero despite results being announced.
Also, the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, last week threatened that the election was a “do-or-die” affair.
Speaking in Oredo Local Government Area, where the PDP held the grand finale of its governorship campaign, Obaseki said, “This election is a do-or-die. Do you want insecurity? Do you want people that didn’t go to school to lead us? Next Saturday is the election, you will vote for PDP and our next governor is Asue Ighodalo.”
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