President Bola Tinubu has extended his congratulations to Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his victory in Saturday’s Edo State governorship election.
Okpebholo, 54, emerged victorious with a total of 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) placed a distant third with 22,763 votes, while fourteen other candidates participated but received fewer votes than the leading trio.
In a statement released on Sunday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu urged Okpebholo to view his victory not merely as a triumph, but as a significant call to service.
He encouraged the new governor to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to political rivals and working towards uniting the people of Edo State for its development.
The President also commended all candidates who participated in the election for their efforts in promoting Nigeria’s democracy, emphasizing that peaceful political contests reflect a stable democratic process.
He called on those dissatisfied with the election results to pursue legal avenues for redress.
Furthermore, President Tinubu praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for their diligent work in ensuring a successful and peaceful election. “INEC has once again demonstrated its commitment to organizing free and fair elections in our country,” he remarked.
