The Independent National Electoral Commission has issued certificates of return to the Edo State Governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo, and his Deputy, Dennis Idahosa.

The certificates were issued to them by the INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Edo State, Rhoda Gumus, on Thursday, five days after Okpebholo and his deputy were declared the winner of the poll.

The issuance of certificates of return has officially confirmed Okpebholo and Idahosa as the governor and deputy governor of Edo.

Okpebholo will succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki, who will leave Osadebe House on November 11 after completing two terms in office.

Okpebholo, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, was declared the winner of the tightly contested Edo governorship election on Sunday.

The Returning Officer for the election and the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Faruq Kuta, announced the result at the INEC collation centre in Benin City.

Okpebholo secured 291,667 votes, winning 11 out of the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.

His closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, obtained 247,274 votes, winning seven LGAs.

Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata finished third with 22,761 votes.

Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel has congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo on his victory in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election. Daniel praised Okpebholo’s exceptional leadership and strategic thinking, which endeared him to the people of Edo State ¹. He highlighted Okpebholo’s impressive campaign, marked by humility and respect for all electorates across party lines.

As the representative of the Ogun East Senatorial District, Daniel commended Okpebholo’s outstanding performance as the immediate past Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement. Okpebholo demonstrated remarkable leadership, fostering cordial relationships with committee members and leaving a lasting impact.

This sentiment is shared by other notable figures, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who encouraged Okpebholo to unite the people of Edo State .

The Peoples Democratic Party has officially rejected the Edo State Governorship election results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

During a press conference in Abuja, PDP acting National Chairman Umar Damagum called on concerned Nigerians to support the party’s rejection of the election results.

He asserted that the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was the rightful winner of the election, emphasising that “the PDP unequivocally rejects the result as announced by INEC.”