By Ejiro Nesisa
The candidate of All Progressives Party in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo has emerged victorious in Edo State Governorship election held on Saturday. Based on results from 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, Okpebholo secured a total of 291,667 votes.
While his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), garnered 247,655 votes, Olumide Akpata, representing the Labour Party (LP), came third having got a total of 22,763 votes. With this result, Okpebholo is well-positioned to be declared the official winner of the election.
Meanwhile, the PDP in Edo has appealed to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to review the results collated for the Governorship election before the final announcement of the winner of the election. Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, PDP Chairman in Edo told newsmen on Sunday in Benin that the entries the electoral officers made were totally different from the actual results uploaded on the INEC IREV at the polling units.
Aziegbemi said the results had allegedly been inflated in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through deducted votes from the PDP.