MONDAY Okpebholo, a serving senator has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State following his victory in the governorship election held in September.
Okpebholo, along with his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, took the oath of office on Tuesday, November 12, administered by the Chief Justice of the state, Daniel Okungbowa, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries including the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, among others.
The event comes two months after the All Progressives Congress (APC) clinched victory, securing the governorship position at the Dennis Osadebay House.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of the governorship election conducted in Edo State on Saturday, September 21.
Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who won 247,274 votes.
The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Olumide Akpata, garnered 22,763 in the election to occupy a distant third position.
The returning officer and vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Minna, Haro Adamu Kuta, while announcing the final results said having met the constitutional requirement for being the winner, Okpebholo was the election winner.
However, his victory was met with widespread criticisms, as some residents of the state thronged the streets against his emergence as the poll winner.
In the run to the election, The ICIR reported that 17 political parties competed for votes in the poll, and three candidates – Peoples Democratic Party’s Asue Ighodalo, APC’s Monday Okpebholo, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) – led the race.
According to reports from the election observers, the election was marred by low voter turnout, manipulation of results, vote buying and logistical inefficiencies.
The ICIR reported that the election was a battle between two godfathers who worked tirelessly to ensure their candidate occupied the Osadebe House.
A former governor and serving senator, representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomole, threw his weight behind Okpebholo, a senator representing Edo Central, while the incumbent, Obaseki, was strongly behind his anointed candidate and businessman, Ighodalo.
There were approximately 2.63 million registered voters but only 2.25 million of these collected their permanent voter’s card (PVC), making them eligible to vote, according to data from INEC.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M