APC’s Okpebholo sworn in as Edo State Governor
Story by Victor Itodo ABUH
Monday Okpebholo has officially taken office as the governor of Edo State, concluding Godwin Obaseki’s eight-year administration in the South-South state.
The swearing-in ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the state capital.
This comes two months after the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victory and the ticket to the Dennis Osadebay House.
Okpebholo was sworn in alongside his deputy, Dennis Idahosa.
Read also: EFCC moves against Obaseki’s administration, detains Edo state account signatories
The event saw attendance from notable figures, including the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, among other dignitaries.
The inauguration marks the culmination of a dramatic political chapter in Edo State, defined by former allies becoming rivals and a tussle between political godfathers and their protégés.
In the keenly contested election held on September 21, Okpebholo triumphed over Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC candidate garnered 291,667 votes compared to Ighodalo’s 247,274, while the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Olumide Akpata, placed third with 22,763 votes, among the fourteen contenders.
Despite support from then-governor Obaseki, the PDP could not maintain its grip on power, ceding the state leadership to the APC—the party through which Obaseki originally rose to power.
Political analysts attributed the APC’s success in reclaiming Edo State to the strained relationship between former Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu and the influence of Adams Oshiomhole, which paved the way for Okpebholo’s emergence.
However, the PDP has rejected the election outcome, alleging that the mandate was stolen. The party vowed to challenge Okpebholo’s victory, asserting that it did not reflect the will of the people.
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