INEC declares APC’s Monday Okpebholo winner

Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 247,274 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) with 22,761 votes.

Fourteen other candidates received fewer votes than the top three. INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Faruk Kuta, declared Okpebholo the winner at 9:27 pm on Sunday.

Okpebholo won 10+ local government areas, while Ighodalo secured marginal victories in the remaining areas. The APC gained control in two of three battleground senatorial districts.

Protests erupted from PDP supporters, claiming fabricated results. Governor Obaseki stormed the collation center, protesting PDP agents’ exclusion, and was escorted out.

PDP agents and chairman Anthony Aziegbemi cited discrepancies between EC8 forms and INEC’s IReV platform. The PDP Governors’ Forum alleged electoral malpractices.

INEC reported 2,249,780 PVC holders voted on September 21, 2024.