Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Monday, said last Saturday’s bye-election results have validated his victory in the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
Gov. Okpebholo disclosed this when he received the member-elect for Ovia Federal Constituency, Gabriella Igbinedion, who was led by the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa on a thank you visit.
He noted that the election results show that the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the last governorship election convincingly as the bye-election results represent a reflection of the love of Edo people for the party.
The governor said he waited for the by-election to know if the APC truly stole any mandate, but the results of the election show that the people freely voted for the APC and no mandate was stolen.
He said: “I am happy to receive you this morning. It is not surprising to me that you won because you have all the support of the deputy governor and the people of Ovia Federal Constituency.
“This bye-election results show that Edo people have spoken. They cried that we stole their mandate. I waited for this election to really know if we actually stole their mandate.
“See the results that came from Edo Central bye-election. They show that their mandate was never stolen at all as APC won 51 wards out of 51 wards. This shows that the people gave their mandate to APC. No mandate was stolen.
“The candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the past election, chairman of past election alongside the candidates in this present election all lost their wards and units. This shows that the people never voted for them at all.
“This bye-election is a reflection that Edo is APC and APC won the election as the election results show that PDP lost.
“Edo is APC, and we love President Bola Tinubu, and our promise of securing 2.5 million votes is a task that must be accomplished. We would not sleep but continue to work hard to achieve our goals.”
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The Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa said he was at the Government House to introduce his successor to the governor.
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“There was a bye-election at the Ovia Federal Constituency on Saturday, the 16th of August 2025, and a winner has emerged, and she will now be representing the people of Ovia.
“She is my successor, and I am here to present her to you today and also thank you for showing purposeful leadership, and the people of Ovia Federal Constituency have asked me to thank you,” the deputy governor said.
In appreciation, the member-elect, Igbinedion, thanked the governor for his support, assuring Ovia people that she is well experienced and will represent them well.
She said: “The people should expect that I would hit the ground running. I am not new to the National Assembly and will bring my experience to bear as I embark on projects that will benefit my people.
“The vote we got in Ovia Federal Constituency was a combination of so many factors but one thing I must say is that, the Ovia people recognized the hard work you have put in not to the development of Ovia Federal Constitucy alone but to the state as a whole where the entire state is feeling your impact.
“Thank you for the platform given to me and will do my best to represent the people of Ovia well and will not let them down.”