The governor-elect of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, have received certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission. Five days after Okpebholo and his deputy were proclaimed the election’s winners, Rhoda Gumus, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Edo State, gave them the certificates on Thursday.

The official confirmation of Okpebholo and Idahosa as the governor and deputy governor of Edo has been achieved by the issuance of certificates of return. Governor Godwin Obaseki, who will vacate Osadebe’s House on November 11th, having served two terms, will be succeeded by Okpebholo.

The All Progressives Congress candidate for governor, Okpebholo, was proclaimed the victor of the hotly contested Edo governorship race on Sunday. At the INEC collation center in Benin City, Prof. Faruq Kuta, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the Returning Officer for the election announced the results. With 291,667 votes, Okpebholo won 11 of the state’s 18 Local Government Areas.

Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, his closest opponent, received 247,274 votes and won seven local government units. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party received 22,761 votes to come third. With 291,667 votes, Okpebholo won 11 of the state’s 18 Local Government Areas.