Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress on his emergence as the winner of the just concluded governorship election in Edo State.
Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to beat his closest opponent, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party who scored 247,274 votes in the September 21 governorship election results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday evening.
Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, in Ado Ekiti on Monday, hailed the people of Edo for reposing confidence in the APC and its Renewed Hope Agenda and rewarding the party with Okpebholo’s victory.
The governor, who stated that the Edo people have spoken through the ballot, congratulated President Bola Tinubu for deepening democracy in the country.
He said, “The victory is a vote of confidence in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu who has deepened our democracy. It is the victory of our party APC and indeed a victory for democracy.
“It is a new day in Edo State and I congratulate the people of the state for returning the state to the progressive fold,” Oyebanji said.
The governor commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for ensuring that the people’s votes count, stressing that “democracy is taking a firm root in the country, with the electorate being able to reward political parties and candidates, appropriately with their votes”.
He called on the governor-elect and the deputy governor-elect, Dennis Idahosa, to be magnanimous in victory and extend hands of fellowship to their opponents in the election.
Oyebanji also urged the governor-elect to see his election as a call to serve, urging him to implement people-oriented programmes and policies that would bring progress and prosperity to the people.
“The Edo people have spoken clearly and loudly. Hearty congratulations to my brother, the governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa.”
