Tinubu, Buhari, Ganduje hail Okpebholo's victory in Edo gov election

President Bola Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, have hailed the victory of Senator Monday Okpebholo in the Edo State governorship election held last Saturday.

Okpebholo was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner on Sunday after he defeated other contenders.

Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat hus closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoole’s Democratic Party, PDP, who got 247,274 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) who came a distant third in the race with 22,763 votes.

In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Medua and Strategy, President Tinubu praised the APC’s victory as a testimony to “the people’s support for the ruling party, its progressive ideals, its economic reengineering programme and its commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.”

The president advised Senator Okpebholo “not to gloat over his victory but to see it as a challenging call to service.”

The governor-elect was also advised to demonstrate magnanimity by “reaching out to his political rivals and uniting the people of Edo State to ensure its development.”

Tinubu urged “all those aggrieved by the election outcome to seek redress through the legal channels.”

He further commended INEC and security agencies for their efforts, saying , “INEC has once again demonstrated that it is committed to organising a free and fair election in our country.”

Also, former President Buhari described APC’s victory in the election as a “prized, historic electoral victory” and expressed hope that “both leaders of the incoming administration and the party that lost would work together to strengthen democracy and maintain the trajectory of the state’s development.”

Buhari, who spoke in a statement by Garba Shehu, added, “I very much hope the winners and the losers would work together to strengthen democracy and maintain the trajectory of development in the state.”

In the same vein, Ganduje, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Edwin Olofu, said the triumph “is a testament to the confidence the good people of Edo State have in the progressive vision and leadership of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led APC administration.”

The APC chairman expressed confidence that “with Senator Okpebholo’s leadership, Edo State is poised to witness unprecedented growth, peace, and development that will transform the lives of its citizens.”

Also congratulating Okpebholo, the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, said: “Your voices were heard through your votes for Senator Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Dennis Idahosa of the All Progressives Congress. I say a big congratulations to the newly elected governor, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo.”

Shaibu recently defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress after falling out with Governor Godwin Obaseki and failing to secure PDP’s governorship ticket for the poll.