The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented Certificates of Return to the Governor-elect of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Hon. Dennis Idah
The event, which took place at the INEC headquarters on Thursday, was attended by dignitaries including the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Other dignitaries were the reinstated Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu, Senator Matthew Uroghide, General Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd), Senator Francis Alimikhena, Hon. Ogbeide Ihama, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion and Blessing Agbonmhere, among others.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was represented by the National Commissioner supervising Edo State, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, who presented the certificates to the winners.
INEC on Sunday declared Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the Edo State governorship election.
The returning officer, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, announced that the APC candidate secured 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had 247,274 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) with 22,763 votes.
However, Governor Godwin Obaseki, the PDP, LP and their candidates have rejected the outcome.