By Emmanuel Bello, Benin
The candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the September 21 Edo governorship election, Mr. Monday Okpebholo has been declared winner of the poll.
The returning officer for the election and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, prof. Farouk Adamu made the declaration on Sunday at the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Benin City.
Prof. Adamu disclosed that senator Okpebholo polled a total of 291,667 votes to win the election.
He was followed by Mr. Asuen Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who had 247,274 votes.
The candidate of Labour Party, LP, came a distant third with 22,763 votes.
Before his latest victory, Monday Okpebholo is the lawmaker representing Edo Central in the National Assembly.
Conduct of Poll Witnessed Massive Turn Out of Voters, Allegations of Vote BuyingÂ
Meanwhile, there was massive turn-out of voters in units 3, 4 and 5 of Ward 4, Sabongida-Ora, in Owan-West Local Government Area of Edo State, despite an early morning downpour. Some voters arrived at the polling units as early as 6:30 o’clock in the morning to exercise their franchise.
INEC officials and electoral materials arrived at about 9 am, followed by accreditation and actual voting by the electorate.
In some polling units visited in Ward Three, Eme-Ora, allegations and counter allegations of vote buying were made by members of the APC and PDP.
Some members of Non-Government Organizations, NGOs, who monitored the election in the local government, accused both the APC and PDP of vote-buying.
Some voters interviewed commended INEC, noting that there was improvement in the conduct of the governorship election, in comparison to previous elections conducted in the area.
Adequate presence of security agents, comprising policemen and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were on ground to forestall possible breakdown of law and order.
