At precisely 9:28 PM on September 22, 2024, Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was officially declared the winner of the Edo State governorship election.
Okpebholo secured 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Dr. Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,655 votes—a margin of 44,012 votes. This election is noted as one of the most competitive in Edo's history. The Labour Party candidate, Olumide Akpata, finished third with 22,763 votes.
In his victory speech, Okpebholo expressed gratitude to the electorate and emphasized his commitment to delivering effective governance.
He stated, “Edo people have elected the right person for the job. A new Edo is rising,” promising to initiate transformative projects in the state.
Despite the celebrations, concerns were raised regarding the electoral process. Governor Godwin Obaseki and members of the PDP Campaign Council voiced their dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election, citing irregularities during the collation process.
They called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address these issues.
In a detailed breakdown of the results, Okpebholo won in 11 out of 18 local councils, showcasing strong support in Edo North while narrowly losing in Edo Central and Edo South to Ighodalo. Specifically, Okpebholo received 130,684 votes in Edo North compared to Ighodalo's 76,959 votes, while in Edo Central, Ighodalo led with 54,813 votes against Okpebholo's 48,895 votes.
Governor Obaseki urged residents to remain calm and seek legal avenues for addressing their grievances regarding the election outcome.
In his statement, he highlighted that democracy empowers citizens to choose their leaders and lamented what he described as a "travesty of democracy" when this power is undermined.
He called on citizens to refrain from violence and destruction while assuring them that peace and justice would ultimately prevail.