Former President, Muhammadu Buhari, has congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) and governor-elect of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on their “historic electoral victory.”
Okpebholo, the APC candidate, was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday.
READ ALSO:INEC declares APC’s Okpebholo winner of Edo election
Okpebholo, 54, received 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) placed third. A total of 14 candidates contested the election, but only the top three received significant support.
“That Monday Okpebholo of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” INEC’s returning officer for the poll, Prof. Faruk Kuta, declared.
Buhari, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Garba Shehu, describes Okpebholo’s win as a “historic electoral victory.”
READ ALSO:Edo election: Do not gloat, see victory as call to service, Tinubu tells Okpebholo
He expressed hope that both the leaders of the incoming administration and of the parties that lost will work together to strengthen democracy and maintain the trajectory of the state’s development.
Buhari said; “Congratulations to the APC and the election winner, Senator Monday Okpebholo on the historic electoral victory, and my warmest wishes for a new lease of life for Edo State and its people.
“I very much hope the winners and the losers will work together to strengthen democracy and maintain the trajectory of development in the state.
“I commend the law enforcement agencies for the efforts that they put into ensuring a peaceful election, and the multitude of election officials who strive to improve with each election.
“I pray that the Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country, will continue to achieve remarkable progress under democracy.”
