Monday Okpebholo Declared Winner in Edo State Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the victory of Monday Okpebholo in the 2024 Edo State governorship election. Okpebholo, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured a total of 291,667 votes, surpassing his closest competitor, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 247,274 votes.

The results were confirmed by the State Returning Officer, Professor Farouq Adamu Kuta, who serves as the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna. Kuta declared Okpebholo as the duly elected governor, highlighting that he had met all legal requirements necessary for the position.

Initial analysis of the election results, uploaded on the INEC’s IReV portal, suggested a closely contested race between Okpebholo and Ighodalo. However, Okpebholo ultimately gained the upper hand, with Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party finishing third in the contest.

During his campaign, Okpebholo focused on issues such as insecurity, economic development, infrastructure, and educational improvements. In an exclusive interview with BBC Pidgin, Okpebholo emphasized his intention to combat insecurity in the state using both manual efforts and technological advancements.

Insecurity remains a significant concern in Edo State, which Okpebholo aims to address as a priority alongside improving the road networks and education sector, as stated in his campaign promises. He pledged to declare a “state of emergency” in these critical areas upon assuming office.

Voting variously across the state, Okpebholo cast his ballot in Unit 03, Ward 1, Uwessan, located in the Esan Central Local Government Area, from which he hails. During the voting, Okpebholo tallied 102 votes in his home district, while the PDP’s Ighodalo and the Labour Party’s Akpata each secured one vote.

Monday Okpebholo was born in August 1970 in the Udomi-Uwessan community of Irrua, part of Esan Central. His background includes serving as a senator representing the Edo Central Senatorial District since 2023. Okpebholo’s educational pursuits took him from local schools to the University of Abuja, where he earned a degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Policy and Leadership Studies.

He embarked on his political journey by winning the Edo Central senatorial district seat under the APC banner on February 25, 2023, subsequently taking office in June 2023 as part of the 10th National Assembly of Nigeria. In February 2024, Okpebholo emerged victorious in the Edo State APC gubernatorial primary election.

It should be noted that Okpebholo has faced legal challenges, with a magistrate court summoning him earlier in 2024 over allegations of falsifying his birth date on his certificates. This legal matter is still pending in court. Okpebholo is married and the father of two children.