Monday Okpebholo has been sworn in as Edo State Governor amid festive inauguration ceremony.
Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was officially sworn in as the governor of Edo State on Tuesday. The ceremony, held in Benin, the state capital, took place at around 1 pm, with Okpebholo taking his oath of office before an enthusiastic crowd.
Okpebholo emerged victorious in the off-cycle governorship election on 21 September, securing 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, came third with 22,763 votes. Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as the deputy governor of Edo State.
The inauguration drew a host of prominent figures, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Governors’ Forum chairman Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, and reinstated Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, alongside a number of APC governors. Following the swearing-in, Okpebholo rode in an open-top van around the stadium, acknowledging cheers from supporters who had gathered to celebrate the new administration.
In his victory speech, Okpebholo pledged to lead with transparency and dedication, promising a new era of growth and development for Edo State. His words were met with resounding applause, setting an optimistic tone as the new administration takes office.
