Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has extended heartfelt congratulations to Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, on his resounding victory in the Edo State governorship election.
Okpebholo emerged victorious with 291,667 votes, surpassing his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,274 votes. President Tinubu praised the APC national leaders, Edo State leaders, and party governors for their tireless efforts in securing the victory.
“The victory is a testament to the people’s support for our great party, its progressive ideals, economic reengineering program, and commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians,” President Tinubu stated.
He urged Senator Okpebholo to embrace his victory with humility and view it as a challenging call to service. “I encourage him to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to his political rivals and uniting the people of Edo State to ensure its development,” President Tinubu added.
The President commended other candidates for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s democracy, emphasizing that peaceful contests like the Edo election portray Nigeria as a stable democracy. He urged those aggrieved by the outcome to seek redress through legal channels.
President Tinubu praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for conducting a successful and largely hitch-free exercise. “INEC has once again demonstrated its commitment to organizing free and fair elections in our country,” he noted.
With Okpebholo’s victory, the APC has reaffirmed its stronghold on the state, and attention now shifts to the incoming administration’s ability to deliver on its campaign promises.
