The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has congratulated Sen. Monday Okpebholo for emerging the Edo Governor-elect at the Saturday governorship election.
Ganduje, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, on Sunday in Abuja, said Okpebholo’s victory was well-deserved.
He said the triumph was a testament to the confidence the good people of Edo had in the progressive vision and leadership of the President Bola Tinubu-led APC administration.
Ganduje, while conveying the party’s warmest felicitations to Okpebholo, stressed that his victory reflected the trust and hope placed in his leadership.
He said the victory also reflected the hard work and resilience of other party members and supporters who ensured a free, fair, and peaceful election.
The APC national chairman expressed confidence that with Okpebholo’s leadership, Edo was poised to witness unprecedented growth, peace, and development that would transform the lives of its people.
He stated that APC would support Okpebholo’s administration and work with him to ensure that the vision of a greater Edo waa achieved for the benefit of all.
Ganduje thanked President Tinubu and the Progressive Governors Forum(PGF) for their immense support, saying the victory was for all the people of Edo.
In the same vein, former President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Okpebholo on his victory.
Prof. Faruk Kuta, while declaring the result, said that Okpebholo got 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo got 247,274 votes. The candidate of Labour Party (LP), Olumide Akpata, came third with 22,763 votes.
Buhari, in the congratulatory message, described the victory as “historic”.
He expressed hope that the incoming government would work together with everyone to strengthen democracy and maintain the trajectory of the state’s development.
He prayed for a new lease of life for Edo State and its people, and commended law enforcement agencies for the efforts that ensured a peaceful election.
Also, President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Okpebholo.
Tinubu commended APC national leaders, Edo leaders and party governors for working hard to achieve victory, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement.
The President said the victory testified the people’s support for the ruling party, progressive ideals, economic reengineering programme and commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.
He urged Okpebholo not to gloat over his victory but to see it as a call to service.
He encouraged him to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to his political rivals and unite the people of Edo to ensure development.
Tinubu also praised other candidates who participated in the election for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s democracy, saying that peaceful political contests such as the one on Saturday portrays Nigeria as a stable democracy.
The President urged all those aggrieved by the election outcome to seek redress through legal channels.
In addition, the President commended the people of Edo for their orderly and peaceful conduct during the election, underscoring the country’s maturing democracy after 25 years.
“I commend INEC and our security agencies for working round the clock to conduct a successful, peaceful and largely hitch-free exercise.
“INEC has once again demonstrated that it is committed to organising free and fair election in our country,” Tinubu added.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Okpebholo, 54, secured 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 247,274 votes at the election.
Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came third in the race with 22,361 votes.
Fourteen other candidates contested the election with the three frontline candidates.(NAN)
