President Bola Tinubu and the Southern governors have congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.
The President, through his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, asked Governor Okpebholo to be magnanimous in victory and rally the citizens of Edo across divides towards a singular vision of advancing the state’s development.
The President advised Okpebholo to accelerate the delivery of exceptional services and good governance to the people of Edo State, now that the governor has cleared the legal hurdles.
Also the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF) and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has described the Supreme Court’s validation of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo’s governorship election as a well-deserved victory.
Abiodun, who stated this in a statement issued on behalf of the forum in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday, said the verdict had laid to rest any insinuation that the victory of Okpebholo, who won the September 21, 2024, governorship election with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,655 votes, was a fluke.
He said that with the apex court’s verdict, the Edo State Governor now has the opportunity to devote full attention to actualizing the agenda for which the Edo electorate gave him an overwhelming mandate, without any political distractions.
He said: “On behalf of my brothers in the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), I heartily welcome the verdict of the Supreme Court today, Thursday, affirming what the Edo State people and Nigerians have known all along, namely that on September 21, 2024, Edo State voters gave Governor Monday Okpebholo a mandate to pilot their affairs for the next four years.
“The verdict shows that, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and earlier validated by the Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, the legitimacy of Governor Okpebholo’s mandate cannot be questioned.
“No doubt, this victory is great news for democracy in Nigeria, for the people of Edo State, for our great party, the All Progressives Congress, and for good governance and the development of our dear country.
“Democracy may be imperfect, but it represents the best form of government available to us as a people, and there is no doubt that this victory further consolidates and strengthens it in Nigeria.
“Significantly, the victory represents the arrival of good things for the great people of Edo State and Nigeria as a whole. “I have no doubt in my mind that the expectations of the people will be fully met by the pro-people, focused, and dynamic government of my dear brother, Governor Monday Okpebholo.”
