Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has lost his local government to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, in the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
Obaseki, who hails from Oredo Local Government Area, had strongly supported the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, in the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Sunday that the APC garnered 30,780 votes, while the PDP received 24,938 votes. The Labour Party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata, secured 5,389 votes.
On September 21, 2024, voters in Edo State went to the polls to elect a new governor, who will succeed Obaseki as his eight-year tenure ends on November 12, 2024.
Edo is one of eight states in Nigeria where governorship elections are held off-season due to legal proceedings and court judgments, alongside Anambra, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Osun, and Ondo.
INEC reports that Edo State has 2,629,025 registered voters spread across 4,519 polling units, with 2,249,780 (85.57%) having Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to decide Obaseki’s successor.
Despite 17 candidates vying for the governorship, analysts view the election as a three-horse race involving Ighodalo (PDP), Okpebholo (APC), and Akpata (Labour Party).
The APC holds significant influence in Edo North, represented by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and Edo Central, represented by Okpebholo, while the Labour Party’s Senator Neda Imasuen represents Edo South, where Akpata is from.
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