INEC Presents Certificates Of Return To Edo Gov-Elect, Deputy

The governor-elect of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, and Dennis Idahosa, his deputy, have received certificates of return from the INEC.

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.

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